What’s the contribution of Nehru family?
BJP president Amit Shah has put forth a very ignorant question before Indian National Congress President Rahul Gandhi. Shah apparently would like to know ‘what is the contribution of Nehru family to this country’. This question has been answered long ago by senior BJP leader and Union Minister Sushma Swaraj in the United Nations, when she was condemning the terrorism that has been breeding in Pakistan. While listing the achievements of India in the last 70 years in various fields of excellence including science and space, Swaraj had said: “Pakistan didn’t achieve anything except for offering support to rabid terrorism”. This sentence was said before the world leaders. The growth and progress of post-independent India was mainly owing to Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv. While union minister Sushma Swaraj goes about presenting the accomplishments of India, the fact that a Gujarati leader such as Amit Shah goes about asking ‘what is your family’s contribution’ is not only a testimony to his eroding intelligence, but also the kind of divisive politics this person who is facing charges of fake encounter deaths in Gujarat all through his political career.
This is clearly an insult to the nation. BJP came to power using the pretext of engaging in a war with China and often referring to the days of emergency, and often stating Nehru family did nothing for the country. Now, the current ruling dispensation at the central level is using the Nehru family name to defend and cover for its failed administration. One can make a long list of contributions made by Nehru, Indira and Rajiv. But can we make a similar list about the contributions BJP has made for the progress of the country?
Today, Narendra Modi constantly refers to the accomplishments of ISRO with great pride. ISRO has benefited great deal from the rich vision Nehru had for the nation. And BJP leaders have absolutely no share in this at all. It was during Nehru’s time that the nation that was broken into provinces, was brought together, and thus India became a federal nation. While BJP focuses on creating a rift between communities with communal clashes in the name of temples, Nehru had declared reservoirs and dams are the temples of modern India. Every aspect including IIT and AIIMS mentioned as India’s achievement by Sushma Swaraj before the United Nation, was created during the time of Nehru owing to his far sightedness.
Nehru laid the foundation stone for mega industries. He did not push the nation into the trap of either communism or imperialism but treaded the mid path to take the country on the road to progress by focusing on providing impetus for both agriculture and industries.
We need to realize this. If we cannot compare the India that existed in 1947 to the India that we live in today, then the whole credit goes to visionary leaders such as Nehru and his family members. Nehru did not surrender the country before any international agency. Instead, India came to be known as a non-aligned equal partner and a nation that would lead other countries on par. This direction of leadership continued during Indira Gandhi’s time as well. India had a definite foreign policy during the times of Indira Gandhi and Nehru. This had elevated India’s position in the international arena. Indira Gandhi is not just synonymous with the period of emergency, but also with the love and respect she could receive from the people across classes and creed. She was loved by all. People from even the lowest strata of the society would find strength in her, and they saw her as their mother. She was very familiar in even the most remote villages. She never resorted to doing politics on emotional basis. It was Indira Gandhi who nationalized the banks and made them accessible to the poor. Land tenancy act was another massive and bold decision she made. This decision ensured that even the poorest of the poor who endlessly worked in the lands of the rich and mighty, could possess land property for themselves. She had to earn the wrath of the powerfully rich owing to this. The Billavas in coastal Karnataka who were working as bonded labourers in the fields of rich Bunts, could possess land thanks to this act. The ‘Green Revolution’ and ‘White Revolution’ took place during her tenure. Her entire focus was on eradicating poverty. Hence her political decisions revolved around ‘Garibi Hatao’. She did not fool people in the name of mandir, masjid or Gods. Her strategy earned Bangladesh its independence, She could defeat Pakistan and set Bangladesh free for its own future. Atal Bihari Vajpayee had called her the ‘Durga’ with great appreciation. And the ‘age of computers’ was initiated by Rajiv Gandhi. Today if we see every household possessing a computer and every individual possessing a mobile phone, it is thanks to the vision of Rajiv Gandhi and his close friend Sam Pitroda’s unstinting farsightedness.
Today if Narendra Modi and Sushma Swaraj are boasting of India’s accomplishments n international platforms, all credit goes to the most significant prime ministers of this country. More than this, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi put down their lives for this country. When the fact remains thus, it is rather very comical that Amit Shah should come all the way to Karnataka and ask this question of what’s the contribution of Nehru family in building the modern India. Nehru not only took part in the freedom struggle, but also steered the nation towards bright future with his vision.
While Sushma Swaraj referred to the Pakistan representative in United Nations, she made a list of all the successes of India’s agencies and said “we built universities, ISROs, and reservoirs. What did you do? You built terrorist organisaitons,” she needs to remember all those dreams are going to be razed to dust by Modi government. They are demolishing every sign of modern India and are replacing it with saffron elements such as fake babas, terrorist organisations, massive statues, etc. Instead of science and technology, we have this government trying to fill people’s head with mythology and superstition. Temples have taken the place of development. Nehru family prepared the nation for 21st century, but Shah and team will take the country right back to stone age.
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Modi should leverage his ties with world leaders to de-escalate war in West Asia: Omar Abdullah
Jammu (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said India can play a meaningful role in de-escalation in West Asia, given Prime Minister Narendra Modi's strong relations with the warring countries and their neighbours.
He said Pakistan was leveraging ties with Iran and the United States, and that any effort towards ending the war should be welcomed.
"As I said in the House (Assembly), we would like the war to end as soon as possible. The role that the prime minister can play may not be possible for anyone else because of his good relations with all these countries," Abdullah told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.
He, however, said any escalation would not be easy to manage.
"Any such move by US President Donald Trump, despite the long history of Iran resisting external domination, would not be easy," the chief minister said.
Asked about Pakistan mediating in the war, he said, "I will simply say that if any country can play a role in preventing this war, no one should have any objection to it."
He added, "I will repeat what I said … our prime minister has good and close relations with all countries — whether it is Israel, the United States, Iran, or the countries around Iran. If those relationships can be used to make some progress and help ease the situation, it would be a good thing."
Abdullah said attacks by terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed in India, as suggested by a report from the United States, are not unlikely.
Meanwhile, he asserted that any efforts to end the war, be it from Pakistan, must not be resisted.
"Pakistan is using its good relations with Iran and the United States to its advantage, and it has done so. How can we object to that? If that angle helps in stopping the war, would you want them not to act and let the war continue? We want the war to stop. If any country can play a role in that, it should. And if we can play an even better role, then we should do so," he said.
On unemployment in J-K, the chief minister said the issue cannot be resolved overnight, and government jobs alone are not the solution.
He stressed the need to explore alternative avenues, highlighting the importance of Mission Yuva in promoting entrepreneurship.
"Mission Yuva provides not just funding but also support in preparing DPRs and post-startup assistance, such as marketing. In just nine months, distributing Rs 1,000 crore and approving numerous schemes is a significant achievement," he said.
Abdullah credited the coordination between the government and Jammu and Kashmir Bank for the scheme's progress.
