Congress raises concern over attack on Nehruvian idea; plans annivarsary

New Delhi: Concerns were raised over "attack" by BJP and RSS on Nehru's ideology at an internal meeting of the Congress on Wednesday, as the party chalked out plans to conclude the nation-wide celebrations of the 125th birth anniversary of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

The meeting that came in the backdrop of a controversy over government's plans to "revamp" the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, whose director Mahesh Rangrajan has resigned, saw a number of Congress state leaders underlining the need to aggressively take Nehru's idea of India and its relevance in modern times and take to people and its message to the youth.

The meeting that happened to take place amidst a huge political controversy in the country, in the wake of a lynching incident in Dadri in Uttar Pradesh over rumour of beef-eating, also witnessed a number of Congress state chiefs voicing concern over "attempts to communalise" the society and "rupture" the social fabric of India and its political outcome.

"RSS and BJP are continuously trying to blunt Nehru's ideology. Attempts are being made to dilute it. Nehruvianism is under constant attack. We must project how Nehru built the modern India and established institutions in the nation," party leaders from various states said at the meeting.

It was also decided to rope in civil society and NGOs to take the message to people as the year-long 125th birth anniversary celeberations come to an end this November 14.

Senior Congress leader A K Antony , who heads the Celebrations Committee also asked the state chiefs about the progammes that they organized in last one year and asked them to share the details and photographs, which the party will include in a souvenir, it plans to bring out on the concluding ceremony.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, party general secretary (Organisation) Janardan Dwivedi said that Congress is planning to organize a major event at Indira Gandhi Stadium here on November 14, which will be the 126th birth anniversary of Nehru, who was born in 1889.

When asked about the issue of Dadri killing, Dwivedi said that such incidents cannot diminish the influence of Nehru-Gandhi ideology in the country.

Sources said that the party will its give message of "increased relevance" of Nehruvianism in modern times and the cross-cultural connect of India's first Prime Minister. A cultural event will also be organised. The party will seek to take the "liberal, secular" views of Nehru to the young generation to counter the "divisive agenda" of some forces.

Congress has been targeting the Narendra Modi dispensation of allegedly seeking to destroy the secular vision of the first Prime Minister.

The Congress has been accusing the Prime Minister of appropriating the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel as well.