Re-writing History Without Nehru? A Saffron Make-Over In A Series of Take-Overs

NEW DELHI: A visit to Nehru Memorial Museum And Library (NMML) doesn’t betray a whiff of the storm that the institution is currently caught up in. Earlier this month, Mahesh Rangarajan resigned as the NMML’s director, raising uncomfortable questions about the NDA government’s role in interfering in appointments in the country’s educational, cultural and social institutions.

Rangarajan’s forced exit is the latest in a string of several other high profile resignations.

In March this year, Malayalam author Sethu quit as the chairperson of the National Book Trust, with Baldev Sharma, former editor of RSS mouthpiece Panchajanya taking over.

The same month, Anil Kakodkar, Chairman of the board of governors at IIT-B resigned following pressure from the HRD Ministry.

In January, Censor Board chief Leela Samson resigned citing “interference, coercion and corruption of panel members and officers of the organisation who are appointed by the ministry” as her reason.

December last year saw the resignation of Raghunath K. Shevgaonkar as the Director of IIT-Delhi, with four MPs cutting across party lines having complained about the interference of HRD Minister Smriti Irani in the running of institutions like the IITs.

The government at the centre, however, has an explanation for it all. Referring to the NMML, which seems to be in the pipeline for a saffron makeover, culture minister Mahesh Sharma told the PTI, “We feel that 39 institutions under the culture ministry have not realized their true potential whether it is Nehru Memorial Library or Sangeet Natak Akademi. As the central government it is our responsibility to acquire, preserve and maintain material related to nationalist leaders of modern India. The freedom struggle was not about one person.”

Although there isn’t a clear idea of what the revamp would entail, media reports suggest that it could mean expanding the scope of NMML to look at the contributions of Subhash Chandra Bose, Veer Savarkar and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, or reinventing the institution to showcase the contributions of contemporary India.

The case for the latter is supported by a statement made by NMML chairperson Lokesh Chandra earlier in the month. “Right now it is only about the times of Nehru...We have to make the museum relevant to today’s times so that questions on governance in present day are addressed…. The idea is to have a variety of exhibits to show our progress and development, from Mangalyaan to smart cities. To attract visitors, especially children, the place has to be made attractive, relevant to contemporary times,” Chandra told the Indian Express.

A day later, Rangarajan responded by posting a message to the institution’s website: Teen Murti Bhawan is the house of Nehru the Prime Minister, and the Museum will focus on his years as Prime Minister as he, along with great colleagues, laid the foundations of post-colonial India. It will draw on the rich NMML archives built up over the last fifty years. The collections of the NMML include newspapers on microfilms, photos, audio-videos and archival documents on Modern Indian History. The digitization of the Library collections which is underway will also enhance, improve and enrich the Museum,” he said, resigning a few days later. The resignation is indication that Chandra’s position took precedence.

The question worth asking is: If the government wishes to highlight the contributions of particular leaders in India’s freedom struggle, or showcase contemporary India -- why not build a new institution to do so? Why revamp an existing institution?

After all, NMML got its name from the historical fact that Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, lived and died there.

Part of the answer on the question pertaining to revamping NMML lies in the BJP’s apparent hostility toward the Congress leader. Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reconstituted the government committee set up to oversee the 125th birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru. Several prominent names were dropped from the committee, including Rangarajan, historian Ramachandra Guha, and former West Bengal governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi. In their place, the government appointed journalist Rajat Sharma, former army chief V.P. Malik, and others. The Gandhi family had already resigned from the committee.

In February this year, Haryana education minister and BJP politician Ram Bilas Sharma courted controversy when he allegedly used cuss words in relation to Nehru whilst relating an anecdote. Sharma later apologised. Haryana Congress President Ashok Tanwar had reacted to the incident saying, “This is part of concerted right-wing drive to humiliate national icons. Respecting elders, especially the deceased is part of our culture. Indians call Nehru ji Chacha and insulting him is an affront to nation. We condemn this behaviour.”

In April this year, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj failed to mention Nehru at the 60th anniversary of the Bandung conference -- the first meeting of which was considered to be the first concrete step toward the Non Aligned Movement.

The decision to gloss over Nehru’s role in Indian history is in line with a larger objective -- the saffronisation of Indian history and culture. Nehru and the NMML are just a small part of that larger agenda.

As the controversy plays out, NMML remains serene -- at least at first glance. Changes are already underway. The room in which Nehru died is no longer open to viewers; his vast collection of books that lines a corridor on the first floor is also inaccessible.

Nevertheless, the institution remains a tribute to the life and contribution of one of India’s greatest political figures. The new design for the Museum, available on the NMML website, is a tribute to Nehru: Big moments of Nehru’s early life, Nehru’s role in India’s freedom struggle, a visual gallery of Nehru and his contemporaries, Nehru and Gandhijis relationship, Nehru’s vision for a free India… the list goes on. NMML remains Nehru’s home -- at least for now.