Congress accuses PM Modi of trying to distort and undermine Nehru’s contribution to modern India.
Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi offer tributes at Shanti Van, highlighting Nehru’s values and influence.
Jairam Ramesh says attempts to erase Nehru reveal “deep insecurities”, noting new Nehru digital archive to launch soon.
The Congress on Friday charged Prime Minister Narendra Modi with attempting to diminish Jawaharlal Nehru’s place in India’s political and developmental history, marking the first prime minister’s 136th birth anniversary with sharp criticism of what it called an ongoing effort to “deny, denigrate, distort, and demonise” his legacy, PTI reported.
Nehru, born on 14 November 1889 in Allahabad, was a leading figure in the independence movement and remained in office until his death on 27 May 1964. According to PTI, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Sonia Gandhi paid homage at Shanti Van in Delhi, laying flowers at Nehru’s memorial.
Kharge said Nehru’s legacy serves as a “timeless beacon, illuminating the idea of India and the values he cherished — freedom, democracy, secularism and scientific temper”. He added that Nehru’s vision “continues to inspire our conscience and shape our collective actions”, and extended Children’s Day greetings, calling young people the “future of our nation”.
Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X, said Nehru established the foundations of constitutional and democratic principles in independent India through his “visionary and fearless leadership”. He wrote in Hindi that Nehru’s ideals “continue to be a source of inspiration for us even today”, and offered “respectful salutations to ‘Hind ke Jawahar’”.
Jairam Ramesh, the party’s general secretary in charge of communications, issued one of the day’s strongest statements. He argued that Nehru “still resonates all over the world” but that his contributions are being targeted “by the PM and his brigade”. Ramesh added that Nehru “must and will survive this assault on his legacy and accomplishments”, saying attempts to erase him from history only display “deep insecurities and complexes”.
Ramesh also referred to the Abhinandan Granth presented to Nehru on his 60th birthday on 14 November 1949, noting that it carried introductions by Rajaji and Sardar Patel and “still makes for inspirational reading”. He said the initial phase of a new digital archive of the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund is expected to be launched “very soon in the next few days”, calling it an important step.
From its official account, the Congress said Nehru’s commitment to democracy, secularism and scientific temper continues to guide national development and technological progress, adding that his legacy “remains our guiding light”, PTI reported.
(With inputs from PTI)
