Come and see: PMs museum vice chairman amid renaming row
A controversy is raging after the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) in Delhi was renamed the Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) on Monday. Responding to the criticism, the PMML's vice chairman A Surya Prakash said if anyone has doubts about how the "Nehru question" has been handled, they should visit the museum and experience the transformation firsthand. He added that the change signifies the institution's broader mission to showcase the contributions of all Indian prime ministers.
Why does this story matter?
After India's first Prime Minister and Congress stalwart Jawaharlal Nehru's death in 1964, the British-era Teen Murti Bhavan, his official residence, was converted into a memorial. Following the institution's renaming, the Congress launched an attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing them of trying to erase Nehru's legacy. Meanwhile, the BJP insisted the move is aimed at giving "a respectful position to all the PMs of the country at the museum."
Done everything to showcase Nehru's contributions: Prakash
Prakash asserted that the PMML takes pride in Nehru's contributions to India's freedom movement and his achievements in establishing the foundations of independent India. He said the museum highlights Nehru's vision for modern India, including the establishment of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), the now-scrapped Planning Commission, and the remarkable work during his 16-year tenure as the PM. He said the previous setup of the museum gave an idea of the Nehru-Gandhi family's idea of projecting Nehru.
Nehru's phenomenal work showcased: Prakash
Name change resolved in June, approved days ago
The proposal to rename the NMML to PMML was made during a special meeting in June, presided over by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Notably, Singh is the vice president of the PMML Society, which was founded as the NMML Society in 1966. Prakash said the renaming aligns with the democratization and diversification of the museum's scope and its goal to exhibit the contributions of all prime ministers, from Nehru to Modi, and their responses to various challenges they faced.
