There are those wish to erase Nehru and his legacy from India: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: In a veiled attack on Narendra Modi-led dispensation, Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday slammed those who were trying to “rub out” Jawaharlal Nehru from history as an international conference on the country’s first Prime Minister affirmed that democracy, inclusion and empowerment espoused by him were of “enduring relevance”. In her concluding remarks at the two-day conference called by the Congress, Party President Sonia Gandhi said as the Nehruvian concepts have come under challenge now, “we must not only adhere to what Nehru had built. We must fight and fight to strengthen democracy, inclusiveness and secularism.” Holding that Nehru’s ideas were a “matter of shared interest” that concern all sections, she said the declaration reaffirms a collective commitment to nurture these views. “We, the delegates, representing 20 countries, 29 political parties and organisations participating in the international conference on Nehru’s world view and his legacy…caution the world against tendencies that are divisive or which create conflict in the society,” the declaration read by former President of Ghana John Kufuor said. “As representatives of human kind, we take a solemn hope to nurture the values espoused by Nehru to pursue his vision, to imbibe his spirit and carry forward his legacy to the entire world to privilege peace and reject violence in all our activities…” it further said. The conference which sought to highlight the legacy and world view of Nehru was attended by a host of international leaders and representatives of various political parties from India and abroad. Those participated in the conference include former President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai, John Kufuor of Ghana, General Obasanjo of Nigeria, former Prime Minister Madhav K Nepal of Nepal and Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk, Queen Mother of Bhutan besides Asma Jehangir from Pakistan, veteran South African freedom fighter Ahmed Kathrada and leadership delegations from 11 political parties across the globe. [caption id=“attachment_1809201” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said some were trying to erase Nehru’s legacy in India. PTI[/caption] The New Delhi conference had two subject sessions - ‘Inclusive Democracy and People’s Empowerment’ and ‘Nehru’s Worldview and a Democratic Global Order for the 21st century’. A highlight of the event on Tuesday was the presence of Samajwadi Party General Secretary Ramgopal Yadav. On Monday, arch-rivals Mamata Banerjee from Trinamool Congress and Prakash Karat Sitaram Yechury from CPI-M D Raja from CPI attended the event together along with former Prime Minister and JD(S) chief HD Devegowda, JD(U) President Sharad Yadav and NCP general secretary DP Tripathi. The Jawaharlal Nehru Commemorative International Conference was the first major event organised by the party afters its worst-ever drubbing in Lok Sabha polls. Maintaining that Nehru was an ancient idea, as old as the great rivers and fields of this country he loved, Rahul Gandhi said he was also a part of living India. “His ideas and his politics are present very much today, even though there are those who wish to rub him out, to erase him and his legacy from the country he so dearly treasured and helped build,” he said. Holding that Nehru’s idea of India was a country where a billion people choose their destiny and live in harmony, the Congress Vice President said India is a country where democratic principles are cherished deeply, which Nehru developed and protected. “And that is why this is a nation where one sixth of humanity lives in peace. I thank you for joining us today because it is especially important that we preserve this India of Nehru’s – an India that is secular and tolerant. “Today this legacy, that has denied no man or woman their voice, and that we have preserved for close to 70 years, is more important than ever,” Rahul said. Recalling that British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who had long opposed Nehru hailed him finally, he said, “But back to the present. Today, what I find troubling is how we can condemn people because the ideas they treasure are not our own.” He said that Nehru understood deeply that everyone is entitled to their viewpoints and he gave space for his opposition, even when they were practically non-existent. “At the time when the Opposition was sparse in Parliament, he reached out to them, gave them a feeling that while electorally they may be weak, in his world they were valued partners in nation-building. [caption id=“attachment_1809207” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Rahul Gandhi also said that Nehru’s legacy is as important for India now as it was earlier. PTI[/caption] “He recognised that every perspective was unique, even those he fought vehemently. He defended the rights of those he did not agree with and never imagined silencing them,” the Congress Vice President said at a time when his party reduced to its worst performance in Lok Sabha polls has been denied Leader of Opposition status in the Lok Sabha. He added that Nehru’s leadership was one of inclusion and compassion, not force, not violence. “Nehru did not believe that legitimacy could ever come from violence. Legitimacy can only come from compassion, conversation, from listening to and understanding the opposing view.” Rahul said Nehru resonated with his countrymen because he was an expression of their way of thinking. “Nehru understood there was no separation between him and India…Nehru saw no distinction between India’s people and himself. Nehru merged with India, and India with him,“he said. Noting that people have a tendency to worship great men, Gandhi said, “when we do that we cast them in stone. We freeze them in time. There is no doubt that Nehru was a great man. But more than a man Nehru was a dynamic way of thinking, constantly evolving, forever compassionate. “So let us not diminish Nehru but let us learn from him. Let us learn to stand up for what we believe is correct, no matter the cost. Let us cast aside the dead weight of hatred and intolerance. Let us learn from Nehru’s example and give ideas the freedom to flow, let us never suppress an idea simply because it did not originate from us.” Lauding Nehru as a leader of great compassion and strong convictions, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke about some political ideologies with “doubtful legacies” and “terrible consequences”. “His faith in inclusive democracy, secularism and socio-economic empowerment of all people was unwavering. Nehru’s world views are based on universal values. Political ideologies come and go, some with doubtful legacies and others with and others with terrible consequences. Many -isms have battled for our minds, but few have succeeded in touching our hearts,” Singh said. The former Prime Minister, who had initiated economic reforms in the country as Finance Minister under the Prime Ministership of PV Narsimha Rao also chose the occasion to flag Nehru’s commitment to socialism and his pragmatic approach to promote development with social justice. Noting that that a civilised society must offer space for discussion and dialogue, he said “…in a modern democracy, we must respect the role of institutions that seek to create and translate that consensus into policy action.” He also spoke of the “Nehruvian vision of a pluralistic” democracy this is one of the ideas germane to the way the country wants to conduct itself in national and international affairs. He added the idea of India of Nehru’s conception is the idea of unity in diversity. This idea of pluralism, the idea that there need be no conflict of civilisations, lies at the root of the possibility of working towards a confluence of civilisations. This idea, has universal relevance.” PTI