Inventing history through fiction

Vimal Sumbly

FOR quite some time, vigorous attempts are being made to malign the image and reputation of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and his daughter Indira Gandhi, both former Prime Ministers of the country. A number of short movies are being circulated on the social media maligning their image and presenting their character in a most scandalous manner. We are being made to believe that both lived only scandalous lives like some debauch epicurean medieval monarchs. Obviously, the proponents of this campaign do not have the moral courage to come forward and level these allegations in the open. The production of a Bollywood feature, film Indu Sarkar, needs to be viewed in the same context. It cannot be just a coincidence that at the same time MO Mathai's wild fantasies are finding platform on the news portals sponsored by a particular group. 

In fact, Indu Sarkar is not an isolated event (it is actually an event occasioned with an intention) but only a part in a series aimed at maligning and tarnishing the image of one of the greatest and strongest Prime Ministers ever India had. The wannabe competitor stands neither any comparison nor any competition, irrespective of the vicious and malicious attempts by his bhakts. Nehru's and Indira's contribution and sacrifice towards the nation remain unparalleled. It is a sad irony that the same democratic freedom is used to maliciously malign the image of the man who bequeathed this freedom to us. If India is a democratic country today with strong democratic institutions deriving power from the Constitution of India, it is mainly because of Pandit Jawharlal Nehru. The same freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution is being abused by some people to malign the image of Nehru himself. For these people, Nehru was not a world-renowned statesman; he was not at all a scholar; he was not at all a liberal; he was not at all a democrat; he was not at all secular; he had no pride in Indian nationalism despite his unparalleled contribution towards the freedom struggle; he was not at all proud of his Kashmiri Pandit pedigree despite proudly using word “Pandit” before his name. According to them, he was not at all a Hindu; he was a beef eater; the Kashmir problem is only because of Nehru, despite the fact that Kashmir acceded to India because of Nehru, in spite of the local ruler Maharaja Hari Singh’s reservations. For these people, Nehru was just an epicurean debauch which he never was. He bequeathed all his material wealth to the nation. It is because of the scientific temperament Nehru built in the country that we have institutions like the ISRO which our modern-day "strong Prime Minister" takes pride in. The rapid industrialisation, building of dams and other infrastructure was all because of Nehru's vision. And today, all efforts, nevertheless naive and foolish, are being made to wipe out the real history and invent fresh history. So much so, desperate efforts are being made to make us believe as if nothing right happened till 2014. India started rising only from May 2014 onwards. India became the "most-powerful country" in the world, thanks to the "new statesman" who is so strong and powerful that whatever he does is par perfection. This, despite the weakest foreign policy we have today. The Chinese are staring at us threateningly at will wherever they want ---- whether in Ladakh or in Arunachal and now in Sikkim. And we are behaving too timidly to provoke any hostility. Pakistan just does not care, despite our "surgical strikes". There is open defiance in Kashmir. This is so despite the "strongest" Prime Minister we have for the first time in our independent history. But somehow somewhere it must have occurred to someone that there was another strong Prime Minister, who defeated Pakistan; who broke Pakistan into two pieces and exploded the myth of the two-nation theory based on religion; who never compromised on nationalism; who never tolerated anti-nationalism even if it meant paying with her own life; who not only said that every drop of her blood will be shed for the unity and integrity of the country, but actually shed it for her country; who made no distinction or discrimination in the name of religion, even if it meant risking her own life. Naturally she ranks as THE strongest Prime Minister India ever had, even ahead of her father Pandit Nehru. Since nobody can challenge or question her courage of conviction and bold and daring decisions, levelling baseless and malicious attacks on her character was the easiest thing to do. In fact, it always has been.

Instead of trying to invent history by way of fiction, the wannabe "strongest" Prime Minister still has about two years to qualify for the title. His supporters and acolytes instead of maligning our great Prime Ministers should advise him that neither can history be invented and nor written off. Pandit Nehru laid down the foundation of a modern, democratic and strong India. Indira Gandhi did defeat and demoralise Pakistan like nobody ever did. Malicious attempts to malign their character by accusing them of having beef and living a colourful life will not cut any ice with anyone. These lies have been told hundreds and thousands of times. Even Goebbels' theory seems to be failing and falling flat. 

The writer is the Press Secretary to the Chief Minister, Punjab.