New Delhi: The renaming of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society as Prime Ministers’ Museum and Library Society resulted in bitter war of words between the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The grand old party, seething at the saffron party, accused it of indulging in petty & vengeance politics, drawing equally harsh reply from the latter which charged it with ‘usurping’ the country’s history in one family’s name.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh went all guns blazing at the Centre and said that Modi govt was trying to destroy & distort the legacy of first & foremost architects of modern India.
Earlier in the day, the Culture Ministry announced the name change after special meeting of the NMML, presided over by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
Congress leader & communication in-charge Jairam Ramesh condemned the decision, calling it a “petty act” driven by “pettiness and vengeance.”
Pettiness & Vengeance, thy name is Modi. For over 59 years Nehru Memorial Museum & Library (NMML) has been a global intellectual lamdmark and treasure house of books & archives. It will henceforth be called Prime Ministers Museum & Society. What won’t Mr. Modi do to distort,…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 16, 2023
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, in a scathing attack at Modi govt, said that those don’t have own history are trying to wipe history of others. In a series of tweets, he also lambasted the BJP-RSS for its ‘dictatorial attitude’ and that their ‘dwarf thinking’ won’t belittle or demean the big contribution of ‘architect of modern India’.
जिनका कोई इतिहास ही नहीं है, वो दूसरों के इतिहास को मिटाने चले हैं !
Nehru Memorial Museum & Library का नाम बदलने के कुत्सित प्रयास से, आधुनिक भारत के शिल्पकार व लोकतंत्र के निर्भीक प्रहरी, पंडित जवाहरलाल नेहरू जी की शख़्सियत को कम नहीं किया जा सकता।
इससे केवल BJP-RSS की ओछी…
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) June 16, 2023
Former PM’s daughter slams Cong
Former PM Chandra Shekhar’s daughter however elicited positive views on the renaming of Nehru Memorial museum and said that this was fitting tribute to all the Prime Ministers who served the nation. She also slammed the Congress, saying that it never looks beyond the dynasty.
My father, former PM Chandra Shekhar Ji always worked for national interest. He even worked with Congress but they NEVER looked beyond one dynasty. Now, when PM @narendramodi honoured Prime Ministers across party lines, Cong is getting getting agitated. Horrible attitude. https://t.co/CW8ozSH3Ol pic.twitter.com/JwT2qvn562
— Neeraj Shekhar (@MPNeerajShekhar) June 16, 2023
BJP President’s rejoinder to Cong
BJP President JP Nadda also hit out at the Congress for trying to ‘appropriate the legacy of all PMs in dynasty’s name’ and said that the PM Sangrahalya will showcase the contribution of all PMs in last 7 decades.
“PM Sangrahalaya is an effort beyond politics and Congress lacks the vision to realise this,” Nadda tweeted.
In PM Sangrahalaya, every PM has got respect. Section relating to Pandit Nehru hasn’t been altered. On the contrary, it’s prestige has been enhanced. For a party which ruled India for over 50 years, their pettiness is really tragic. It’s also the reason people are rejecting them.
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) June 16, 2023