"History can't be erased": Salman Khurshid over renaming of Nehru Memorial Museum

New Delhi [India], June 17 : Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid on Saturday condemned the Centre's decision of renaming the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society, reminding the BJP that people who attempted to alter history, "disappeared from the scene".

Terming the decision as 'wrong', the former Union minister said, "History can't be changed...we have no issue if there is a memorial for all the Prime Ministers but making bringing a change to an institution on our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and political history is wrong...That's why we condemn this move."

"Nowhere in the world has a name change been able to erase or alter history. Have you seen it anywhere?" Khurshid said.

Daring the BJP-led central government for a debate on history, the former Union minister said, "You can bring to light new aspects of history. We have seen that people, who attempted to alter history, disappeared from the scene. We (Congress) have no issue if there is a museum for all former Prime Ministers. But to bring a change to an institution linked to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru is, in itself, wrong."

The Union Ministry of Culture on Friday said it a decision was made to change the name of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society to Prime Ministers' Museum and Library Society.

The decision was taken at a special meeting of the Memorial Museum and Library Society presided over by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who also happens to be the vice-president of the Society.

This project was approved by Executive Council, NMML in its 162nd meeting held in November 2016. The Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya was opened to the public on April 21, last year.

Despite receiving an invitation from the government, no member of the Nehru-Gandhi family was present at the inauguration function. Three members of the Nehru-Gandhi family Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi have served as Prime Ministers.

An official release by the Culture Ministry stated the museum is a seamless blend that begins at the renovated and refurbished Nehru Museum building, "now completely updated with technologically advanced displays on the life and contribution of Jawaharlal Nehru".

"Housed in a new building the museum then goes on to tell the story of how our Prime Ministers navigated the nation through various challenges and ensured the all-round progress of the country. It recognizes all the Prime Ministers, thereby democratizing the institutional memory," the release said.

Amid criticism over the renaming of the Nehru Museum, BJP president JP Nadda on Friday slammed the Congress, pointing to its inability to accept that there are leaders beyond "one dynasty", adding that it was a classic example of "political indigestion".

Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, too, came down heavily on the Centre on Friday, saying the move showed the "cheap mentality and dictatorial attitude" of the BJP and the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh).

"Classic example of political indigestion- the inability to accept a simple fact that there are leaders beyond one dynasty who have served and built our nation. PM Sangrahalaya is an effort beyond politics and Congress lacks the vision to realise this," Nadda tweeted.

In another tweet, Nadda wrote, "In PM Sangrahalaya, every PM has got respect. The section relating to Pandit Nehru hasn't been altered."