Scholars recall Nehru’s role in promoting peace and secularism in country

Tribune News Servcie

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Chandigarh, May 27

The Punjab unit of All-India Peace and Solidarity Organisation (AIPSO), organised a seminar on ‘Role of Nehru for peace and secularism’ today to mark the death anniversary of India’s first Prime Minister.

Former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, Senator of Panjab University Rabindernath Sharma and senior advocate Joginder Singh Toor were in the presidium.

Jaspal Singh Dappar and Roshan Lal Moudgil, general secretary and secretary, AIPSO, Punjab, respectively, welcomed the participants.

Prof Harish Puri, who retired as a professor of political science from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, said generations, which didn’t experience the pain of partition and those who couldn’t imagine the agony of the people during those years, can easily question Nehru’s contribution to nation building.

“Nehru played a vital role in promoting peace and in defending secularism. He was committed to the building of a secular India. But sadly, today it has become a fashion to criticise Nehru and every initiative he had taken to build a modern India,” he regretted.

Retired JNU professor Chaman Lal said, “Nehru worked hard to foster unity in diversity in the country and termed it as the biggest strength of India. Nehru ensured the strengthening of public sector, apart from building educational institutes of national repute.”