Nehru's name dropped, NMML renamed Prime Ministers' Museum and Library Society

NEW DELHI: A political slugfest has broken out over the renaming of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society (NMML) in Teen Murti Bhavan premises in the national capital as the Prime Ministers' Museum and Library Society (PMML). The BJP-led government defended the move, calling it a celebration of all the Prime Ministers. The Congress, in a sharp retort, condemned it as a "petty act" and asserted "legacies do not get erased by renaming buildings".

In a statement, the culture ministry said that at a special meeting of the NMML, it was resolved to change its name to the Prime Ministers’ Museum and Library Society. The special meeting was presided over by defence minister Rajnath Singh, who is the vice-president of the society.

The ministry said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had mooted the idea of setting up a museum dedicated to all the Prime Ministers of India at New Delhi's Teen Murti Premises in 2016.

"The executive council of NMML had in its 162nd meeting held on November 25, 2016, approved the construction of the museum of all Prime Ministers in the Teen Murti Estate. The project was completed and the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya was opened to the public on April 21, last year," the cultural ministry said.

The ministry further stated that the executive council subsequently felt that the name of the institution should reflect the present activities, which now also include a museum depicting the collective journey of democracy in Independent India and highlighting the contribution of each Prime Minister in nation-building.
"The museum is a seamless blend that begins at the renovated and refurbished Nehru Museum building, now completely updated with technologically advanced displays on the life and contribution of Jawaharlal Nehru. Housed in a new building, the museum then goes on to tell the story of how our Prime Ministers navigated the nation through various challenges and ensured the all-round progress of the country. Thus, it recognises all the Prime Ministers, thereby democratising the institutional memory," it said.

In his welcome address, chairman of the executive council Nripendra Misra explained the need for the change in name by emphasising that the Prime Ministers’ museum expresses the nation’s deep commitment to democracy and so the name of the institution should reflect its new form.

Singh, in his address, welcomed the name change proposal, saying that in its new form, the institution exhibits the contributions of all Prime Ministers from Nehru to Modi and their responses to various challenges faced by them.

Describing the Prime Ministers as an institution and comparing the journey of various Prime Ministers to the varied colours of a rainbow, Singh emphasised that all the colours of a rainbow have to be proportionately represented in order to make it beautiful. Thus, the resolution has given a new name, pays respect to all our previous Prime Ministers and is democratic in content.

Reacting to the renaming, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that this shows the low mentality and dictatorial attitude of the BJP and the RSS.
"Those who do not have any history, they have gone to erase the history of others. The ill-fated attempt to change the name of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library cannot belittle the personality of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the architect of modern India and fearless guardian of democracy. This only shows the low mentality and dictatorial attitude of BJP-RSS. The petty thinking of the Modi government cannot reduce the huge contribution of 'Hind ke Jawahar' towards India," Kharge said in a tweet.

The BJP dubbed the Congress’ reaction an example of "political indigestion". Quoting Kharge, BJP president J.P. Nadda said, "A classic example of political indigestion -- the inability to accept the simple fact that there are leaders beyond one dynasty who have served and built our nation. PM Sangrahalaya is an effort beyond politics and the Congress lacks the vision to realise this."

Nadda further said that the Congress’ approach to this issue is ironical considering their party's only contribution is to erase the legacies of all previous Prime Ministers to ensure that only the legacy of one family survives.
"In PM Sangrahalaya, every PM is given respect. The section relating to Pandit Nehru hasn’t been altered. On the contrary, its prestige has been enhanced. For a party that ruled India for over 50 years, their pettiness is really tragic. It’s also the reason people are rejecting them," Nadda added.

The political bickering between the BJP and the Congress over the renaming continued throughout the day, with Congress Lok Sabha member Manish Tewari hit out at the government, saying legacies do not get erased by renaming buildings. "I wish those who want to erase Jawaharlal Nehru’s contribution to freedom struggle & building of Modern India would once read Discovery of India & Glimpses of World History to fathom the depth of Nehru. Legacies don’t get erased by renaming buildings," Tewari tweeted.

BJP national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Sudhanshu Trivedi said the Congress is levelling allegations even though its leaders have not yet visited the museum to see how the contributions and achievements of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and those of his successors have been showcased in a much better way with the use of technology.

Trivedi said that the museum showcases the contributions and achievements of all the former PMs, including Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, P.V. Narasimha Rao, Rajiv Gandhi and Manmohan Singh of the Congress.

"In their opposition to Modi, they do not hesitate to even insult their own leaders. They are not able to differentiate between their own leaders and others due to 'Modiabind' of Modi's opposition in their eyes," Trivedi said.