Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru often comes up in discussions, and there’s quite a bit of criticism and pushback regarding some of his policies and decisions. His work has played a role in the various challenges India is dealing with today.
1. Do you think Chacha Nehru’s love for children was genuine or just for show?
2. How did he create the Kashmir issue?
3. Did he just overlook corruption and back it up?
4. So, did Nehru really push for dynastic politics?
5. What made Nehru opt for socialism instead of free-market capitalism?
6. So, why did Nehru turn down a permanent seat in the United Nations?
7. Why did he lead the malicious Non-Aligned Movement?
8. Was Nehru’s minority policy designed with appeasement in mind?
9. What were the shortcomings in Nehru’s security policy?
10. What made Nehru’s relationships with China and Pakistan so controversial?
In today’s blog, we explore the legacy of these controversial choices.
1. Do you think Chacha Nehru’s love for children was genuine or just for show?
In his biography of Nehru, ‘Nehru: A Contemporary Estimate’, Sir Walter Crocker mentions that Nehru didn’t really have much time for kids and didn’t particularly enjoy being around them. He mentioned, “Nehru really knew how to perform on public occasions and in front of TV cameras.” Nehru sometimes used to love children in public functions, just as nowadays MPs and ministers are seen sweeping clean places only!
Yashpal Singh, a well-known Hindi writer and political commentator, shares an intriguing incident in his autobiography ‘Sinhavlokan’. He mentioned that there was a time when a baby girl or a young girl attempted to tie Rakhi to Nehru, but he turned her down, saying he doesn’t consider just anyone his sister.
So, let’s avoid linking these two incidents during this Children’s Day celebration. Children’s Day isn’t really about celebrating how much kids love Nehru. Today is all about shining a light on the important issues facing children in our society, just like Dr. Rajendra Prasad did in his first Children’s Day speech. We’re talking about crucial matters like children’s health, their rights, and making sure they have access to good nutrition and education.
2. How did he create the Kashmir issue?
One topic that sparked a lot of conversation was the merger of the princely state of Kashmir with India back in 1947. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru found himself in a tough spot when tribal attackers backed by Pakistan made their way into Kashmir. While the Indian Army was working to push these invaders out of Kashmir, Nehru chose to overlook local advice and reached out to the United Nations instead of opting for strong military action. He was so close to winning, but somehow managed to let it slip away at the last moment.
After that, India and Pakistan split Kashmir, which led to a long-lasting conflict that has taken thousands of lives and created ongoing tension between the two nations. The international community then got involved in the bilateral conflict. This error really complicates India’s claims to Kashmir. This issue is still up in the air and is leading to a lot of violence even now. He told the people of Kashmir that there would be a referendum, but it never happened.
People have been chatting a lot about Nehru’s choice to give Jammu and Kashmir special status with Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. People see this as making it harder to govern and integrate the region in India. Some people think this overlooks the guidance of well-known leaders like Sardar Patel and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, who opposed these kinds of concessions.
3. Did he just overlook corruption and back it up?
Corruption began to influence Indian politics right from the start of the Nehruvian era. Back in 1948, VK Krishna Menon, who was the Indian High Commissioner to Great Britain, went ahead and signed a deal for eighty lakh rupees to buy Jeeps for the army, completely overlooking the usual protocols. So, most of the money was already settled, but when they decided on the number being 200, they only ended up delivering 155 Jeeps.
Nehru didn’t go for an investigation; he just made the government accept it. In February 1956, Nehru brought Menon into the Nehru Cabinet as a minister without a portfolio. So, Nehru went ahead and promoted him to the key position of Defense Minister, even though the Jeep scam was in the picture. UV Kalyanam, who was Mahatma Gandhi’s private secretary, mentioned that Nehru brought in some corrupt associates, including Krishna Menon as Defense Minister.
In 1956, corruption really started to rise, and it was Feroze Gandhi who highlighted just how serious the issue was with the Mundhra deal. So, this led to TT Krishnamachari stepping down from his role as Finance Minister back then. But, there wasn’t really any effort made to clean up the system. Even though a lot of corrupt Congress leaders have been found out, there hasn’t really been any serious action taken against them.
4. So, did Nehru really push for dynastic politics?
Some folks like to say that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was all about dynastic politics and nepotism. He prepared his daughter Indira Gandhi to take over as his successor and appointed her as the President of the Congress Party in 1959. He ended up distancing himself from a lot of colleagues, including Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, C. Rajagopalachari, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
He also failed to develop a second line of leadership in the party and government. His family legacy carried on with his daughter and grandson stepping into the role of Prime Ministers of India, and now his great-grandson is leading the Congress Party. He really undermined the democratic and quality values that the country stands for.
5. What made Nehru opt for socialism instead of free-market capitalism?
India’s economy has really relied on trade and private investment over the years. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru once mentioned that ‘profit is a dirty word’. He took on economic policies that were a lot like the Soviet model, where the state ran all that from industries to hotels.
Regular folks had just a little bit of property and ended up relying on the government because of taxes. The state put a bunch of regulations and restrictions on the private sector, kind of overlooking agriculture and social development.
Also, the import substitution policy cut down on foreign trade and investment. The policies resulted in issues such as slow growth, rising inflation, ongoing poverty, and corruption. This also hurt the entrepreneurial spirit and the potential of the Indian economy.
These policies led to a rise in income inequality and also encouraged crony capitalism. He’s been influencing the way everyday Indians think by portraying entrepreneurs as unethical. This has really put a damper on how people view wealth and success. Even with economic liberalization, that way of thinking is still around today.
6. So, why did Nehru turn down a permanent seat in the United Nations?
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru turned down offers from the United States and the Soviet Union to take China’s place, all to steer clear of any conflict with China. If India had secured a permanent seat in the United Nations, it would have really boosted its global standing. Yeah, it’s true that the offer came without any agreement, but turning it down turned out to be a pretty big mistake. Nehru had this vision of creating positive ties with China, but it hasn’t quite happened yet.
7. Why did he lead the malicious Non-Aligned Movement?
Back during the peak of the Cold War, the U.S. was on the hunt for allies in Asia. The U.S. reached out to India, but India turned down the offer. Nehru chose to take a distinct approach by staying neutral between America and Russia. By 1961, Nehru was a key player in setting up the Non-Aligned Movement.
After this, America teamed up with Pakistan, and that partnership is still going strong today. Back then, India really had to work with Russia, which made it tough to reach the goals of the Non-Aligned Movement and put a strain on India-America relations for many years.
8. Was Nehru’s minority policy designed with appeasement in mind?
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was the one who penned Article 44 of the Indian Constitution, found in the Directive Principles of State Policy. It says, ‘The State shall endeavor to secure to the citizens throughout India a uniform civil code.’ This article has laid the groundwork for secularism in India. There’s been a lot of talk about Nehru’s minority policy. He backed a different electoral system and special provisions for the Muslim community, which led to heightened tensions between Hindus and Muslims.
Additionally, he was against a uniform civil code that would have ensured equal rights and justice for everyone. He really made sure that Muslims could keep their personal laws when it came to marriage and inheritance, which was a big deal.
Nehru let the small state of Goa keep a civil code that was based on the old Portuguese family laws. Nehru also got involved with Hindu temples and institutions, putting the state in charge of their resources. People are saying that this shows a kind of selective secularism.
9. What were the shortcomings in Nehru’s security policy?
People are starting to question Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s dedication to the nation’s defense and security. He wasn’t really focused on modernizing and expanding the armed forces. Additionally, Nehru didn’t really put enough resources into developing nuclear and missile technology, which left India a bit exposed to threats from neighboring countries, especially China and Pakistan.
Also, he didn’t manage to set up a strong intelligence network or a clear security plan. He also missed the rise of separatist and extremist movements like the Naga insurgency, the Dravidian movement, and the Naxalite insurgency. He showed a lack of strength and responsibility in trying to keep the nation safe.
10. What made Nehru’s relationships with China and Pakistan so controversial?
Nehru discussed creating a unique bond with China under the slogan ‘Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai’. He brushed off the advice from his intelligence and defense teams regarding China’s expansionist goals and aggressive moves. He didn’t really handle China’s occupation of Tibet in 1950 or its claims to Indian territories in the north-east and west very well. He didn’t quite grasp the full extent of China’s military strength and readiness.
So, India ended up facing a shameful defeat in the war with China back in 1962. Over this time, more than 3,250 Indian soldiers lost their lives. So, India has lost around 43,000 square kilometers of land to China in Aksai Chin. China is still a big issue for India.
Nehru’s approach to the Hindu-Muslim conflict during and after Partition has sparked quite a bit of debate. There are still ongoing communal tensions in India because he hasn’t managed to establish a lasting political agreement with Muslim leaders. The country is still dealing with the fallout from a lot of his mistakes.
If you think I’m on the right track, just drop a ‘Yes’ in the comments! If you don’t agree, feel free to just say ‘No’.
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