Amit Shah blames Nehru for Partition, ‘blunder’ in Kashmir

From the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML), BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on Jawaharlal Nehru, blaming him and the Congress for the Partition and the “historic blunder” in Kashmir.

The NMML, a centre that promotes higher research and academic dialogue, has been purged over the past two years of its Left-of-the-centre and even liberal leadership. This was exemplified by the ouster of its scholar Director Mahesh Rangarajan at the behest of Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma, who called his appointment “unethical and illegal”.

The NMML is currently hosting an exhibition on BJP ideologue and Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee titled ‘Syama Prasad Mookerjee: A Selfless Patriot’. It invited the BJP president for the inauguration.

Shah took the opportunity to attack Nehru, “leftist historians” and the Congress while crediting Mookerjee for “Kashmir being an integral part of India” and “Kolkata still being an Indian city” besides the foundation of the Jan Sangh.

A copy of Shah’s speech at the NMML said the Partition would not have taken place if the Congress leadership had not shown “impatience”. A PTI report quoting Shah said he accused Nehru of having committed a “historic blunder” on Kashmir.

Referring to the declaration of truce when Pakistan-backed tribal raiders in 1948 were being repulsed in Kashmir, he said if such a decision was not made, the Jammu and Kashmir problem would not have existed today.

“Suddenly, without any reason…The reason is not known even today, truce was declared. Never has any leader of the country made such a historic blunder. If Jawaharlalji had not declared a ceasefire at that time, the Kashmir issue would not have existed,” Shah was quoted as saying.

The report further said Shah claimed the decision was taken to improve “one’s (Nehru’s) personal image”, and lamented that because of this a part of Kashmir is now with Pakistan.

“India would not have been partitioned if the Congress leadership had not been in such a hurry. We should have never accepted partitioning of the country on the basis of religion but the Congress made that mistake…

“If West Bengal is a part of India, if Kolkata is part of India, the credit goes solely to Syama Prasad Mookerjee… Nehru turned his face away from the atrocities on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh by signing a bilateral agreement with Liaquat Ali,” said Shah.

Besides Nehru and the Congress, Shah targeted “left-wing historians”, accusing them of committing a “sin”.

“Syama Prasad Mookerjee has not got the place he deserved in History. That is because first the British and then the Left-wing historians twisted historical facts to present a warped view of Indian history, which is a serious and unforgiveable sin,” said the BJP president.

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