Call for Return of Historical Documents Related to Jawaharlal Nehru
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.