New Delhi: ‘Nationalism’ and slogans like ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ have been misused to construct ‘militant and purely emotional idea of India” which excludes millions of Indian residents and citizens said Former PM Manmohan Singh on Saturday.
Speaking at the release of an anthology of articles on and by Jawaharlal Nehru and the History of Culture and the Idea of India’ by K E Radhakrishna and Purshottam Agar, Singh referred Nehru as a ‘great visionary’ who had shaped India in to a modern nation with his intellectual that was the key condition for ‘India’s survival as a democratic polity as a humane, compassionate society.”
Sharply criticizing opposition ruling party for leveling allegations against Nehru, Singh said Pandit Nehru was the architect of modern India and its journey to become a vibrant democratic nation and an important world power.
“If India is recognised in the comity of nations as a vibrant democracy and, if it is considered as one of the important world powers, it was Pandit Nehru, who should be recognised as its main architect… Nehru laid the foundation of the universities, academies and cultural institutions of modern India. But for Nehru’s leadership, independent India would not have become what it is today” he said.
He also alleged people insisting on criticising Nehru were driven by personal prejudices.
“Unfortunately, a section of people who either do not have the patience to read history or would like to be deliberately guided by their prejudices, try their best to picture Nehru in a false light. But I am sure, history has a capacity to reject fake and false insinuations and put everything in proper perspective,” Singh said.
He emphasized on Nehru’s ideology of building the nation on Gandhian principles, harmonising the past and the present free from communal discords.
“Nehru makes a very significant and time relevant remark on the dangers of leaderships falling into a trap and getting removed far away from the common people whom they are supposed to serve,” Singh said.