Call for Return of Historical Documents Related to Jawaharlal Nehru

Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has raised concerns in Parliament regarding the return of historical documents related to Jawaharlal Nehru, which were taken from the Prime Minister's Museum and Library in 2008. He urged Sonia Gandhi to return these documents to preserve the nation's heritage. The documents, totaling around 400,000, were deposited for safekeeping and not as gifts. Shekhawat's appeal follows a lack of response to previous requests for their return. Rizwan Qadri, a historian, expressed hope that the documents would be returned, ensuring researchers have access to this vital historical material.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 19, 2025, 13:12 IST

Cultural Minister Raises Concerns Over Nehru Documents

In a recent parliamentary session, Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat questioned the status of documents related to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, which were taken from the Prime Minister's Museum and Library (PMML) in 2008. He urged former Congress President Sonia Gandhi to return these documents in the interest of preserving the nation's documentary heritage. Speaking on Thursday, Shekhawat highlighted that documents concerning Nehru were handed over to the PMML on nine different occasions between 1971 and 1992.

Details of the Document Transfer

Shekhawat elaborated that the documents in question, totaling around 400,000, were specifically related to Jawaharlal Nehru. He emphasized that these documents were deposited for safekeeping and were not intended as gifts. According to him, when these documents were transferred, it was clearly stated that they were not gifts but were secured for preservation.

Request for Document Return

He further explained that in 2008, under Sonia Gandhi's direction, M.V. Rajan visited the PMML and requested the return of certain documents that had been secured. Consequently, 21,000 documents were returned to them. Shekhawat noted that the PMML later reached out to Sonia Gandhi, requesting the return of the documents to maintain continuity, but they were not sent back.

Sonia Gandhi's Response

In response to the PMML's letter, Sonia Gandhi stated, 'I will look into this matter...' Shekhawat urged her to return the documents to the Prime Minister's Museum. Meanwhile, after the Culture Ministry clarified that no documents related to Nehru were 'missing' from the PMML, Rizwan Qadri, a member of the PMML Society and a historian, expressed hope that Sonia Gandhi would return the collection. Speaking to a news media outlet, Qadri mentioned that he was appointed to the PMML Society in 2019 and efforts were made to ensure researchers faced no difficulties.