Nehru’s Legacy: A Look at the Architect of Modern India
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, played a pivotal role in shaping the country's modern identity. As the architect of modern India, Nehru's legacy can be seen in the nation's political, economic, and cultural development. His commitment to democracy, secularism, and scientific progress helped to lay the foundations for a strong and prosperous India. Despite facing numerous challenges and criticisms during his tenure, Nehru's vision and leadership continue to influence India's direction to this day. One must examine Nehru's contributions to India's growth and progress, as well as the enduring impact of his vision on the country's future.
The Father of Independent India
Jawaharlal Nehru played a crucial role in the country's journey to independence and the shaping of its modern identity. As a key leader of the Indian independence movement and a member of the Congress Party, Nehru worked tirelessly towards the goal of freeing India from British rule.
One of Nehru's most significant contributions was the integration of the 565 princely states in India, which had the option of becoming independent or joining either India or Pakistan after the British announced their departure in 1947. Nehru, along with Sardar Patel and support from Lord Mountbatten, successfully integrated all of these states into one united India, with the exception of the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir.
In addition to his efforts in unifying the various princely states, Nehru also worked with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar to draft and pass the Hindu Code Bill. This legislation granted Hindu women important rights such as the right to divorce and property ownership, and was a significant step towards gender equality in India. Despite Ambedkar's resignation before the bill was passed, his contributions to its development were significant.
Nehru's influence extended beyond just domestic policies, as he also played a key role in the drafting of the Objectives Resolution, which later became the Preamble to the Indian Constitution. This resolution, which outlined the principles and values that would guide the newly independent nation, remains a crucial part of India's governance to this day.
Nehru's Vision for India: Setting the Stage for Prosperity and Progress
As the first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru played a crucial role in shaping the country's modern democracy and building institutions that have lasted for decades. His contributions to India's economic and technological development are numerous, including the establishment of the Planning Commission and the Indian Institutes of Technology, as well as the development of India's nuclear program and the establishment of the Atomic Energy Commission.
Under his leadership, India experienced significant economic growth, with the country's growth rate rising from 0.72% inherited from the British to 3.6% within five years of independence. Nehru recognized the importance of science and technology in driving this growth, and worked to establish institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences to promote education and research. In a country that began independence with a 12% literacy rate, Nehru's commitment to education and scientific progress was instrumental in laying the foundations for a strong and prosperous India. Despite facing numerous challenges and criticisms during his tenure, Nehru's vision and leadership continue to influence the country's direction and shape its future.
Nehru was also a strong advocate for social justice and equality. He implemented a number of policies and programs aimed at improving the lives of the poor and disadvantaged, including land reform, universal education, and the construction of dams and irrigation systems.
Nehru's commitment to science and education was evident in the numerous institutions he helped to establish, including the Indian Institutes of Technology and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. He also recognized the importance of science in solving social issues like poverty and hunger, and gave leading scientists of the time the freedom to establish some of the country's most important research institutes. Nehru's vision for India included a socialistic approach to nation building, and he worked to establish giant public sector undertakings such as BHEL, SAIL, and GAIL. He also contributed to self-reliance in nuclear power, with the construction of the CIRUS nuclear power plant in 1960, and the establishment of research institutes like BARC.
In addition to his contributions to science and technology, Nehru also worked to modernise education in India with the establishment of institutions like the IITs and IIMs. He also focused on infrastructure development, building roads and constructing dams like the Bhakra Dam, as well as laying the foundations for irrigation schemes in Punjab and neighbouring states.
One of Nehru's key legacies was the Non-Aligned Movement, which he co-founded with Yugoslavia's Josip Broz Tito and Eygpt's Gamel Abdel Nasser. This movement sought to give newly independent countries a voice on the global stage and stood against both the communism of the Soviet Union and the capitalism of the United States. Nehru's popularity and leadership skills made him a key figure in this movement, which continues to have influence today.
Despite his many achievements, Nehru faced criticism for his handling of the 1962 Sino-Indian War and his policies were sometimes seen as overly centralised and interventionist. However, the overall impact of his leadership was overwhelmingly positive and he is remembered as a visionary and transformational leader who laid the foundations for modern India.
Despite his successes, Nehru also made mistakes, including his handling of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and his failure to correctly assess the threat posed by China. However, these mistakes should not diminish the overall impact of his leadership and the lasting legacy he has left on India. Nehru's vision, succinctly codified into the Preamble, and commitment to democracy, secularism, and scientific progress continue to influence the country's direction and shape its future.
Girish Linganna
Defence and Aerospace Analyst
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Karnataka Assembly passes bill on Palace Grounds amid opposition protest
Bengaluru, Mar 6 (PTI): The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday passed the Bangalore Palace (Utilisation and Regulation of Land) Bill, reaffirming state ownership over 472 acres and 16 guntas of land here, amid protests by the opposition BJP.
During the discussion, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said the state government would have to provide Rs 200 crore worth of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) for each acre of land, which means that for 15 acres, Rs 3,000 crore worth of TDR would be issued.
“If we accept it, then this 2-km stretch of road will become the costliest road in the world. If we accept it then how are we going to develop the city in later stages? How will you carry out development works?” asked Patil.
He also pointed out that this question was raised not only under the Congress government but also during the previous BJP regime.
However, the BJP-led cabinet has opposed the project.
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“Suppose we agree to it then, what will be the valuation of the 472 acres? It will be lakhs and lakhs of crores of rupees. Can we accept?” Patil wondered.
The Minister said the government had previously exercised its executive powers to issue an ordinance, which was approved by the Governor. Now the government is bringing a bill with two amendments.
“In this bill, we have made provisions either to develop or drop the road development work,” Patil explained.
However, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra and BJP MLA Arvind Bellad opposed the move, alleging that the government was targetting Yaduveer Krishna Datta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the scion of the Mysuru royal family, and the BJP MP from Mysuru-Kodagu constituency out of political vendetta.
“We talk of 472 acres of Mysuru Maharaja but here there are many Maharajas who too own 400 acres, 500 acres and thousands of acres of land, which is known to everyone,” Bellad said.
He slammed the Congress government, saying political power should not be misused for personal vendetta.
“Why (the then Deputy Chief Minister) Siddaramaiah brought the law in 1996 pertaining to the Bangalore Palace? Why are you setting eyes on the Bangalore Palace?” he asked.
Vijayendra charged that Wadiyar won the election on BJP ticket so the state government realised that it should acquire it.
“This bill has been brought for political vengeance. We are not discussing whether Rs 3,000 crore is exorbitant or not but the moment Yaduveer became MP, the state government woke up. You should be ashamed. This house should not be used for political vendetta,” he said.
Intervening, Minister Priyank Kharge said Vijayendra should not have raised it because the intention behind building the road was noble.
According to him, the BJP too had the same plan when it was in power.
He sought to know whether thousands of crores of rupees be spent on a road which should have cost significantly less.
In response, BJP MLA B A Basavaraj (Byrathi) said issuing TDR will not be a burden on the state government and appealed to the ruling Congress to reconsider its stance.
Minister Ramalinga Reddy too explained that the Karnataka government acquired the entire land way back in 1996.
The Mysuru royal family went to the High Court, which gave ruling in favour of the state government. The royal family then approached the Supreme Court, where the case is still going on, the Minister pointed out.
“The final judgment is pending in the SC to decide whether the acquisition was right or wrong. If the SC says it’s the royal family’s property then let it be so. If the order is in the state government’s favour then we can take a decision. The bill is only about it,” Reddy explained.
Speaker U T Khader then called for a voice vote and the bill was passed by the Assembly amidst opposition BJP’s discontent.
