14/11/2021
Jawaharlal Nehru- In todays India liked by some and loathed by many. In this day and age of (mis)information its sad to see a statesman like him being branded as a complete nincompoop!
Aside from being an illustrious visionary with a emphasis on technological development, harbouring and inculcating scientific temper among fellow citizens, he believed in the basic unity of India, despite its ethnic and religious diversities. He not only imported and imparted modern values and ways of thinking, but adapted them to Indian conditions- Secularism a case in point.
His policies based on import substitution industrialization and advocacy of mixed economy where the government- controlled public sector would co-exist with the private sector has been often criticised by some, but they forget that a nascent economy like India's in the 1950s desperately needed such policies to carve out a path on its own (Ofcourse his successors dragged this policy for a longer time).
World class institutions were set up during his tenure which today are the pride of India. AIMS,IITs,IIMs etc today command huge respect nationally and internationally- a start given by Nehru.
His legacy in the foreign affairs is one of the most remarkable one- projecting India as the leader of the "third world". When every other nation was joining either of the superpower blocs, he was successful in carving out a new path of Non-Alignment along with other nations.
Yes he had his own share of failings too. His idealism shrouding the China policy, failure of effective land reforms, lack of government focus on agriculture and the Himalayan blunder among them all- the decision to refer the Kashmir dispute to the United Nations.
Best or worst- you are free to decide where Nehru fits in your political spectrum, but he sure has left a long lasting legacy on India. An advocate of individual freedom, he even took the opposition in to confidence while taking decisions- despite the opposition having paltry numbers.
But it is for certain (many democracy scholars agree too) that a poor country like India was in the 1950s would not have been able to sustain as a democracy without Nehru. In the 50s & 60s except a couple of countries including India other developing countries had taken an authoritarian turn. Nehru and our founding forefathers were able to create strong institutions which had concrete commitment to democracy.
That is his legacy!
https://youtu.be/50qDZ4mpYYA
जवाहरलाल नेहरूंच्याबद्दल आपण नेहमीच बरेच misconceptions ऐकतो. ते गांधीजींनी भारतावर थोपलेले पंतप्रधान होते का? आधुनिक भा.....