Congress dubs renaming of Nehru Memorial Museum petty, flays Modi

The Congress on Friday blasted the Modi government after it renamed the iconic Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society (NMML) in New Delhi as the Prime Minister’s Museum and Library Society and asserted that legacies aren’t erased by renaming buildings.

Nearly a year after the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya was inaugurated on the premises of the Teen Murti Bhavan, the NMML has been renamed as the Prime Minister’s Museum and Library Society.

The decision was taken at a special meeting of the NMML, the Culture Ministry said on Friday. The meeting was presided over by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the vice president of the Society.

Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said: “Pettiness and vengeance, thy name is Modi. For over 59 years NMML has been a global intellectual lamdmark and treasure house of books and archives. It will henceforth be called Prime Ministers Museum and Society.

“What won’t Modi do to distort, disparage and destroy the name and legacy of the architect of the Indian nation-state? A small, small man overburdened by his insecurities is the self-styled Vishwaguru,” Ramesh said.

Congress fury

Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said the Teen Murti Bhavan is a historic monument where India’s destiny was crafted.

“The architect of India’s post-independence glory was our first PM Jawaharlal Nehru. Erasing his legacy by changing the name of the NMML is a petty act, which only further diminishes the stature of the current regime,” Venugopal tweeted.

“India’s every success is achieved on the foundation of Nehruji’s vision. India knows that, and removing his name from a museum will not change the revered stature that Nehruji enjoys in every Indians heart,” he said.

Congress MP Manish Tewari underlined that legacies don’t get erased by renaming buildings.

“I wish those who want to erase Jawahar Lal Nehru’s contribution to freedom struggle and building of Modern India would once read Discovery of India and Glimpses of World History to fathom the depth of Nehru,” he said.

Congress spokesperson Gourav Vallabh added: “You can remove (Nehru’s) name from the boards but you can’t remove the respect which people of this country have for him.”

(With agency inputs)