News Analysis India

Tag: Jawaharlal Nehru

  • PM Modi’s Oath-Taking Ceremony: 5 World Leaders Elected to Power More Than Twice |

    New Delhi: PM Modi joins the ranks of world leaders like former United States President Franklin D Roosevelt and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who were elected for more than two terms while maintaining a largely consistent vote share.

    Former American President Franklin Roosevelt 

    In the international context, PM Modi’s popularity as a leader stands close to former American President Franklin Roosevelt who won four presidential elections from 1932 to 1944, all with a largely consistent vote percentage. Roosevelt won his first election with a vote percentage of 57.4 per cent in 1932 and his last in 1944 with a share of 53.4 per cent. Roosevelt was the last American President to serve more than two terms.

    Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel

    PM Modi’s third term can also be compared to the success of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who won four consecutive elections from 2005 to 2017. Her vote share fell in 2009 and in 2017.

    Former Singapore PM Lee Kwan Yew

    Lee Kwan Yew, the founder of modern Singapore, won six consecutive elections between 1968 and 1988 and his vote share reduced in his second, fourth and fifth terms. Lee Kwan Yew won the 1968 election with a vote share of 86.7 per cent and his term in 1988 came with a vote share of 63.1 per cent.

    Former Indian PM Jawaharlal Nehru 

    Till now Jawaharlal Nehru was the only Indian Prime Minister to have won three consecutive polls. PM Modi is the second leader to do so. Jawaharlal Nehru registered a vote share of 45 per cent in the 1952 election which rose to 47.8 per cent in 1957, but in the 1963 election the vote share dipped to 44.7 per cent, which is marginally lower than his first electoral win.

    Indian PM-Designate Narendra Modi 

    PM Modi now leads an NDA coalition with 293 seats in the Parliament and has promised to continue the path of reform to make India a developed nation by 2047.PM Modi will take the oath of office at 7.15 pm today along with his council of ministers in a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

    “We will take the country forward with more vision and comprehensive to ensure our resolutions, our commitment towards good governance and attempt towards fulfilling the dreams of the common people,” Modi told the media in the Rashtrapati Bhavan premises after staking claim to form the new government.

     

  • Opinion: Why Modi May Emerge Stronger Leader Than Jawaharlal Nehru After Securing Third Straight Term In 2024? |

    The 2024 Lok Sabha Election is going to be historic in many ways. First, it will mark the first instance when Congress will go to the polls after warming the opposition benches for 10 consecutive years. Second, the BJP will complete 10 years in power with an absolute majority and third, it will seek another straight term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the history of independent India, only Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had secured three consecutive terms as Prime Minister with a clear majority. While under Nehru, Congress won 364 seats in 1951-52 elections, 371 seats in 1957 and 361 seats in 1962 elections. Nehru remained PM of India from 1951 until his death on 27 May 1964. Even Indira Gandhi and Manmohan Singh ruled for a maximum of two consecutive terms.

    Why Modi May Emerge Stronger Than Nehru?

    When the former PM Nehru went to the third Lok Sabha polls in 1962, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind about the Congress party’s prospects as there was no strong opposition. The opposition at that point in time constituted smaller parties having no leaders who could challenge the authority of Nehru. In the 1962 polls, the Congress won 361 seats, the Communist Party of India won 29 seats, C Rajagopalchari’s Swatantra Party 18 and the Bharatiya Jana Sangh 14 seats. The Bharatiya Jana Sangh was at that time led by Debaprasad Ghosh but was popular only in certain regions. Also, back then, there was no concept of even Leader of Opposition and the provision for the post was made only in 1969. So, it can be said that Nehru virtually went into an opposition-less poll and the the victory for Congress was not only guaranteed but foretold. 

    Challenges Before NDA

    On the other hand, the BJP led by Narendra Modi not only faces a strong opposition like Congress but also a united front of the INDIA bloc led by the grand old party. The bloc includes regional patriarchs like MK Stalin’s DMK, Nitish Kumar’s JDU, Lalu Yadav’s RJD, Sharad Pawar’s NCP, Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party, Mamata Banerjee’s TMC, Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and other key parties like Left, Hemant Soren’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Omar Abdullah’s Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, Mehbooba Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party.

    If the BJP manages to get a clear majority for the third straight time, not only Modi will emerge as a strong national leader but the opposition will have to rethink its strategy as well. 

  • Historical ‘Sengol’ from Tamil Nadu to be installed in new Parliament: Amit Shah

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: ‘Sengol’, a historical sceptre from Tamil Nadu, which was received by first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to represent the transfer of power from the British and was kept in a museum in Allahabad will be installed in the new Parliament building to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 28, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Wednesday.

    Shah said the purpose of the installation was clear then and even now.

    He said that the transfer of power is not merely a handshake or signing a document and that it must remain connected with local traditions keeping in mind modern needs.

    “Sengol represents the same feeling that Jawaharlal Nehru felt on August 14, 1947,” he said.

    The Home Minister said that the new Parliament building is an example of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s far-sightedness. He said the Prime Minister will honour 7,000 workers (shram yogis) on the inauguration.

    Shah said invitations for the inauguration of the new Parliament Building were sent to all political parties who were free to act according to their wisdom.

    ‘Reconsider decision to boycott inauguration’

    Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Wednesday termed the decision taken by 19 opposition parties to boycott the inauguration ceremony as “unfortunate” and urged them to reconsider their stand.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the new Parliament building on Sunday.

    The opposition parties contend that President Droupadi Murmu should do the honours as she was not only the Head of State, but also an integral part of Parliament as she summons, prorogues, and addresses it.

    “Boycotting and making an issue out of a non-issue is most unfortunate. I appeal to them to reconsider their decision and join the function,” Joshi told reporters here on the sidelines of a national workshop on the National e-Vidhan Application.

    Joshi said the Lok Sabha Speaker was the custodian of Parliament and he has extended an invitation to the prime minister to inaugurate the building.

    NEW DELHI: ‘Sengol’, a historical sceptre from Tamil Nadu, which was received by first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to represent the transfer of power from the British and was kept in a museum in Allahabad will be installed in the new Parliament building to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 28, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Wednesday.

    Shah said the purpose of the installation was clear then and even now.

    He said that the transfer of power is not merely a handshake or signing a document and that it must remain connected with local traditions keeping in mind modern needs.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “Sengol represents the same feeling that Jawaharlal Nehru felt on August 14, 1947,” he said.

    The Home Minister said that the new Parliament building is an example of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s far-sightedness. He said the Prime Minister will honour 7,000 workers (shram yogis) on the inauguration.

    Shah said invitations for the inauguration of the new Parliament Building were sent to all political parties who were free to act according to their wisdom.

    ‘Reconsider decision to boycott inauguration’

    Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Wednesday termed the decision taken by 19 opposition parties to boycott the inauguration ceremony as “unfortunate” and urged them to reconsider their stand.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the new Parliament building on Sunday.

    The opposition parties contend that President Droupadi Murmu should do the honours as she was not only the Head of State, but also an integral part of Parliament as she summons, prorogues, and addresses it.

    “Boycotting and making an issue out of a non-issue is most unfortunate. I appeal to them to reconsider their decision and join the function,” Joshi told reporters here on the sidelines of a national workshop on the National e-Vidhan Application.

    Joshi said the Lok Sabha Speaker was the custodian of Parliament and he has extended an invitation to the prime minister to inaugurate the building.

  • BJP ideologue told me Nehru being vilified is one thing, but Hari Singh being exalted takes the cake

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said he spoke to a BJP ideologue about Union minister Kiren Rijiju’s criticism of Jawaharlal Nehru on the Kashmir issue and was told that Nehru being vilified is one thing, but erstwhile ruler Hari Singh being exalted as a benevolent hero “takes the cake”.

    Rijiju had stated that Nehru’s “blunders”, which included enacting Article 370 and taking the dispute with Pakistan to the United Nations, caused much tragedy, drained the country’s resources and cost thousands of lives of soldiers and civilians in militancy.

    “I spoke to a BJP ideologue this morning about Kiren Rijiju, the latest entrant to the club of Distorians,” Ramesh said in a tweet.

    “He (the BJP idealogue) sent me the following message: The strange thing is, Nehru being vilified is one thing, Hari Singh being exalted as some sort of upright & benevolent hero takes the cake,” the senior Congress leader said without naming the “BJP ideologue”.

    Hari Singh was the last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. He signed the Instrument of Accession to India.

    Rijiju wrote an article for a portal citing “five Nehruvian blunders”, including floating the idea of a plebiscite and terming Jammu and Kashmir’s accession provisional.

    The minister had said it was important to realize past mistakes to build a new future and added he has not tweaked history but stated facts to set the record straight.

    The Congress on Saturday demanded an apology from Rijiju over his criticism of Nehru’s handling of the Kashmir issue and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rein in ministers from making “irresponsible statements”.

    Slamming Rijiju, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma had said, “I can only pity the mental bankruptcy of minister Rijiju. He has no understanding of history, there is no proof, no evidence.”

    “I would say the prime minister should rein in ministers from making such untrue, false and irresponsible statements as have been made in this regard.

    The account of that period in 1947 has been carefully documented not by one but more than one person who were directly associated with the merger of princely states,” Sharma told reporters on Saturday.

    The BJP on Thursday had used the 75th anniversary of Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to India to slam Nehru for his “blunders” on the issue and asserted that Prime Minister Modi corrected them by nullifying Article 370, which granted the erstwhile state special rights.

    The Congress had hit back at the ruling party, saying its leaders have no idea of contemporary history and that they must account for what has happened under its rule there rather than blaming Nehru and other former prime ministers.

    NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said he spoke to a BJP ideologue about Union minister Kiren Rijiju’s criticism of Jawaharlal Nehru on the Kashmir issue and was told that Nehru being vilified is one thing, but erstwhile ruler Hari Singh being exalted as a benevolent hero “takes the cake”.

    Rijiju had stated that Nehru’s “blunders”, which included enacting Article 370 and taking the dispute with Pakistan to the United Nations, caused much tragedy, drained the country’s resources and cost thousands of lives of soldiers and civilians in militancy.

    “I spoke to a BJP ideologue this morning about Kiren Rijiju, the latest entrant to the club of Distorians,” Ramesh said in a tweet.

    “He (the BJP idealogue) sent me the following message: The strange thing is, Nehru being vilified is one thing, Hari Singh being exalted as some sort of upright & benevolent hero takes the cake,” the senior Congress leader said without naming the “BJP ideologue”.

    Hari Singh was the last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. He signed the Instrument of Accession to India.

    Rijiju wrote an article for a portal citing “five Nehruvian blunders”, including floating the idea of a plebiscite and terming Jammu and Kashmir’s accession provisional.

    The minister had said it was important to realize past mistakes to build a new future and added he has not tweaked history but stated facts to set the record straight.

    The Congress on Saturday demanded an apology from Rijiju over his criticism of Nehru’s handling of the Kashmir issue and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rein in ministers from making “irresponsible statements”.

    Slamming Rijiju, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma had said, “I can only pity the mental bankruptcy of minister Rijiju. He has no understanding of history, there is no proof, no evidence.”

    “I would say the prime minister should rein in ministers from making such untrue, false and irresponsible statements as have been made in this regard.

    The account of that period in 1947 has been carefully documented not by one but more than one person who were directly associated with the merger of princely states,” Sharma told reporters on Saturday.

    The BJP on Thursday had used the 75th anniversary of Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to India to slam Nehru for his “blunders” on the issue and asserted that Prime Minister Modi corrected them by nullifying Article 370, which granted the erstwhile state special rights.

    The Congress had hit back at the ruling party, saying its leaders have no idea of contemporary history and that they must account for what has happened under its rule there rather than blaming Nehru and other former prime ministers.

  • At Gujrat rally, Shah blames Nehru for Kashmir imbroglio

    Express News Service

    AHMEDABAD:  It seems former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru will reverberate as election issue in upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls. The ruling BJP is already targeting the main Opposition Congress for the country’s first Prime Minister’s role in keeping the Kashmir conflict alive. 

    On Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while addressing a gathering in Unnai, a tribal area in South Gujarat, held Nehru responsible for the Kashmir problem and congratulated PM Modi for solving it through abrogation of Article 370.

    Earlier on October 10, PM Modi during his visit to Gujarat had said without mentioning Nehru’s name that “Sardar Patel resolved issues of merger of erstwhile princely states, but Kashmir was handled by “one person” and that’s why Kashmir issue remained unresolved.” Modi also said that he was able to resolve the long-pending Kashmir issue as he is walking in the footsteps of Sardar Patel.

    Union Home Minister Amit Shah was addressing a public gathering at Unnai Mata temple, a popular religious place in Vansda taluka of Navsari district. He flagged off two Gaurav Yatras at Unnai temple, one of which will travel to Ambaji temple in north Gujarat and then across the entire tribal belt of eastern Gujarat.

    Addressing the gathering, Shah Said, “Due to the mistake of Jawaharlal Nehru, the issue of Kashmir was not resolved and because of Article 370, Kashmir had a separate Constitution. PM Modi on 5 Aug 2019 removed Article 370 in one stroke and merged Kashmir with India forever.”

    He further elaborated about Kashmir and Article 370. “At the time of removal of Article 370 in J&K, SP, BSP, Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti were threatening that if it is repealed, ‘Koon Ki Nadia Bahe Jayengi’ (there will be bloodshed), but Modi acted in such a way that no one dared to lift even a single stone,” he said. 

    AHMEDABAD:  It seems former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru will reverberate as election issue in upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls. The ruling BJP is already targeting the main Opposition Congress for the country’s first Prime Minister’s role in keeping the Kashmir conflict alive. 

    On Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while addressing a gathering in Unnai, a tribal area in South Gujarat, held Nehru responsible for the Kashmir problem and congratulated PM Modi for solving it through abrogation of Article 370.

    Earlier on October 10, PM Modi during his visit to Gujarat had said without mentioning Nehru’s name that “Sardar Patel resolved issues of merger of erstwhile princely states, but Kashmir was handled by “one person” and that’s why Kashmir issue remained unresolved.” Modi also said that he was able to resolve the long-pending Kashmir issue as he is walking in the footsteps of Sardar Patel.

    Union Home Minister Amit Shah was addressing a public gathering at Unnai Mata temple, a popular religious place in Vansda taluka of Navsari district. He flagged off two Gaurav Yatras at Unnai temple, one of which will travel to Ambaji temple in north Gujarat and then across the entire tribal belt of eastern Gujarat.

    Addressing the gathering, Shah Said, “Due to the mistake of Jawaharlal Nehru, the issue of Kashmir was not resolved and because of Article 370, Kashmir had a separate Constitution. PM Modi on 5 Aug 2019 removed Article 370 in one stroke and merged Kashmir with India forever.”

    He further elaborated about Kashmir and Article 370. “At the time of removal of Article 370 in J&K, SP, BSP, Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti were threatening that if it is repealed, ‘Koon Ki Nadia Bahe Jayengi’ (there will be bloodshed), but Modi acted in such a way that no one dared to lift even a single stone,” he said.
     

  • Cong shares draft of Nehru’s ‘tryst with destiny’ speech; he had written ‘date with destiny’

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Congress Sunday shared former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s handwritten draft of his famous first Independence day speech in which he had written about the country’s “date with destiny” but delivered it as “tryst with destiny”.

    Congress general secretary, Communications, Jairam Ramesh also shared the video of Nehru’s speech delivered at the midnight session of the Constituent Assembly as India achieved independence on August 15, 1947.

    Ramesh said on Twitter, “75 years ago, a little after midnight, Nehru gave his immortal ‘Tryst with Destiny’ speech. Here’s his handwritten draft dated 14.8.47. He had penned it as ‘date with destiny’, but in a moment of true genius delivered it as ‘tryst with destiny’.” 

    75 years ago, a little after midnight, Nehru gave his immortal ‘Tryst with Destiny’ speech. Here’s his handwritten draft dated 14.8.47. He had penned it as ‘date with destiny’, but in a moment of true genius delivered it as ‘tryst with destiny’.The video: https://t.co/Ba0QESuZ8L pic.twitter.com/N5M5KgP7MZ
    — Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) August 14, 2022
    Nehru in his draft note wrote, “Long years ago we made a date with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially.  At the strike of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will wake to life and freedom.” 

    “Our moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of the nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.” Nehru said in his draft note of August 14, 1947.

    NEW DELHI: The Congress Sunday shared former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s handwritten draft of his famous first Independence day speech in which he had written about the country’s “date with destiny” but delivered it as “tryst with destiny”.

    Congress general secretary, Communications, Jairam Ramesh also shared the video of Nehru’s speech delivered at the midnight session of the Constituent Assembly as India achieved independence on August 15, 1947.

    Ramesh said on Twitter, “75 years ago, a little after midnight, Nehru gave his immortal ‘Tryst with Destiny’ speech. Here’s his handwritten draft dated 14.8.47. He had penned it as ‘date with destiny’, but in a moment of true genius delivered it as ‘tryst with destiny’.” 

    75 years ago, a little after midnight, Nehru gave his immortal ‘Tryst with Destiny’ speech. Here’s his handwritten draft dated 14.8.47. He had penned it as ‘date with destiny’, but in a moment of true genius delivered it as ‘tryst with destiny’.
    The video: https://t.co/Ba0QESuZ8L pic.twitter.com/N5M5KgP7MZ
    — Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) August 14, 2022
    Nehru in his draft note wrote, “Long years ago we made a date with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially.  At the strike of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will wake to life and freedom.” 

    “Our moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of the nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.” Nehru said in his draft note of August 14, 1947.

  • Congress, its leaders change social media display pics to Nehru holding tricolour

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Congress and a host of its leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on Wednesday changed their social media display pictures to an image of India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru holding the national flag.

    A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several BJP leaders made the ‘tiranga’ their profile picture on social media platforms, Congress leaders and the party’s official handles put a photograph of Nehru with the tricolour as their display picture on Twitter and other social media platforms The image, likely photoshopped, was the same — a black and white photograph of Nehru looking at the flag, in colour, in his hand.

    “Our tiranga is the pride of our country, the tiranga is in the heart of every Indian,” former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet as he changed the display picture of his social media accounts.

    His colleague Jairam Ramesh took a dig at the prime minister, asking if the organisation that did not hoist the national flag at its headquarters in Nagpur for 52 years will comply with his message to make the ‘tiranga’ the profile picture of social media accounts.

    “In the Lahore session of 1929, while hoisting the flag on the banks of river Ravi, Pandit Nehru said, ‘Once again you have to remember that this flag has now been hoisted.

    As long as there is a single Indian man, woman, child alive, the prestige of this tricolour should not be lowered,” Ramesh tweeted in Hindi.

    “We are putting the DP of our leader Nehru with tricolour in hand. But it seems that the message of the Prime Minister did not reach his own family. Those who did not hoist the flag in their headquarters in Nagpur for 52 years, will they follow the Prime Minister’s message?” Ramesh said in an obvious reference to the RSS.

    He used the hashtag ‘MyTirangaMyPride’.

    “विजयी विश्व तिरंगा प्यारा,झंडा ऊँचा रहे हमारा” pic.twitter.com/KiWa7EP5qM
    — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) August 3, 2022
    In a jibe at the BJP over the change in flag code to allow for polyester flags, Ramesh tagged a tweet with Nehru’s picture holding the flag and said, “and that is in Khadi”.

    Congress’ media department head Pawan Khera as well as some other party leaders shared screenshots of the Twitter handles of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its chief Mohan Bhagwat and pointed out that they had not changed their profile picture to reflect the Tricolour.

    “People of the Sangh, at least now adopt the tricolour,” Khera tweeted.

    Among the other party leaders who changed their DPs in the run-up to Independence Day were Sachin Pilot, Shashi Tharoor, Pawan Khera and Supriya Shrinate.

    The official Twitter handle of the party as well as that of the Congress Seva Dal and other party-related organisations also changed their profile pictures on various social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

    READ HERE | Mehbooba Mufti’s new Twitter display pic shows tricolour, old J&K flag

    “The tricolour is in our hearts, it is in our veins as blood. Let us all make this tricolour which gives the message of unity, our identity. Jai Hind,” the Congress said on Twitter.

    On Tuesday, Modi changed his display picture on social media accounts to the national flag and urged people to do the same as part of a collective movement to celebrate the tricolour.

    Other senior BJP leaders, including Union ministers and chief ministers, followed suit.

    Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari and chief ministers Yogi Adityanath and Shivraj Singh Chouhan were among a large number of party members who switched their profile pictures on Twitter to the national flag.

    In his Mann ki Baat radio broadcast on Sunday, Modi said the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ is turning into a mass movement and urged people to put the ‘tiranga’ as the profile picture of their social media accounts between August 2 and 15.

    NEW DELHI: The Congress and a host of its leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on Wednesday changed their social media display pictures to an image of India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru holding the national flag.

    A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several BJP leaders made the ‘tiranga’ their profile picture on social media platforms, Congress leaders and the party’s official handles put a photograph of Nehru with the tricolour as their display picture on Twitter and other social media platforms The image, likely photoshopped, was the same — a black and white photograph of Nehru looking at the flag, in colour, in his hand.

    “Our tiranga is the pride of our country, the tiranga is in the heart of every Indian,” former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet as he changed the display picture of his social media accounts.

    His colleague Jairam Ramesh took a dig at the prime minister, asking if the organisation that did not hoist the national flag at its headquarters in Nagpur for 52 years will comply with his message to make the ‘tiranga’ the profile picture of social media accounts.

    “In the Lahore session of 1929, while hoisting the flag on the banks of river Ravi, Pandit Nehru said, ‘Once again you have to remember that this flag has now been hoisted.

    As long as there is a single Indian man, woman, child alive, the prestige of this tricolour should not be lowered,” Ramesh tweeted in Hindi.

    “We are putting the DP of our leader Nehru with tricolour in hand. But it seems that the message of the Prime Minister did not reach his own family. Those who did not hoist the flag in their headquarters in Nagpur for 52 years, will they follow the Prime Minister’s message?” Ramesh said in an obvious reference to the RSS.

    He used the hashtag ‘MyTirangaMyPride’.

    “विजयी विश्व तिरंगा प्यारा,
    झंडा ऊँचा रहे हमारा” pic.twitter.com/KiWa7EP5qM
    — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) August 3, 2022
    In a jibe at the BJP over the change in flag code to allow for polyester flags, Ramesh tagged a tweet with Nehru’s picture holding the flag and said, “and that is in Khadi”.

    Congress’ media department head Pawan Khera as well as some other party leaders shared screenshots of the Twitter handles of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its chief Mohan Bhagwat and pointed out that they had not changed their profile picture to reflect the Tricolour.

    “People of the Sangh, at least now adopt the tricolour,” Khera tweeted.

    Among the other party leaders who changed their DPs in the run-up to Independence Day were Sachin Pilot, Shashi Tharoor, Pawan Khera and Supriya Shrinate.

    The official Twitter handle of the party as well as that of the Congress Seva Dal and other party-related organisations also changed their profile pictures on various social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

    READ HERE | Mehbooba Mufti’s new Twitter display pic shows tricolour, old J&K flag

    “The tricolour is in our hearts, it is in our veins as blood. Let us all make this tricolour which gives the message of unity, our identity. Jai Hind,” the Congress said on Twitter.

    On Tuesday, Modi changed his display picture on social media accounts to the national flag and urged people to do the same as part of a collective movement to celebrate the tricolour.

    Other senior BJP leaders, including Union ministers and chief ministers, followed suit.

    Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari and chief ministers Yogi Adityanath and Shivraj Singh Chouhan were among a large number of party members who switched their profile pictures on Twitter to the national flag.

    In his Mann ki Baat radio broadcast on Sunday, Modi said the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ is turning into a mass movement and urged people to put the ‘tiranga’ as the profile picture of their social media accounts between August 2 and 15.

  • Nehru institution-builder, BJP weakening democracy by bulldozing institutions: Rahul Gandhi

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Friday remembered India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru on his death anniversary and described him as an institution-builder who strengthened our democratic roots, but lamented that the BJP has weakened democracy by bulldozing institutions.

    He said India now needs a “Bharat jodo” more than ever before.

    His reference was towards uniting India in the present atmosphere.

    The Congress is holding a “Bharat jodo” yatra from Karnyakumari to Kashmir on Gandhi Jayanti.

    “IIT, IIM, LIC, ITI, BHEL, NID, BARC, AIIMS, ISRO, SAIL, ONGC, DRDO…Nehru ji was an institution builder who strengthened our democratic roots. In 8 yrs, BJP has weakened democracy by bulldozing institutions. India needs #BharatJodo now more than ever,” Gandhi said on Twitter.

    In another tweet, he shared a video showing pictures of Nehru with world leaders and how they described Nehru.

    “58 years since his passing, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s ideas, politics, and vision for our Nation are as relevant as they have ever been. May the values of this immortal son of India always guide our actions and conscience,” Gandhi also said.

    The Congress on Friday observed the death anniversary of Nehru with top party leaders paying rich tributes to him at his memorial in the national capital.

    Some leaders also took to Twitter to pay their homage and remember him.

  • RCP Singh sets tongues wagging within JD(U)

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: JD(U) leader and Union minister R C P Singh on Thursday set tongues wagging within his party with strident criticism of the choice of Jawaharlal Nehru as the country’s prime minister, a longstanding BJP plank, and claiming that he got the top post despite enjoying little support in the Congress’ organisation and it was our “first mistake”.

    The former JD(U) president’s sharp take on Nehru is significant as Nitish Kumar, the party’s main face and Bihar chief minister, is not really known for holding strong views against India’s first prime minister and has in the past even praised him.

    Speaking at a seminar on “Threat of Dynastic Political Parties to Democratic Governance”, organised by RSS-linked Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, Singh also countered the Congress’ repeated emphasis about leaders from the Gandhi family making sacrifice for the country, saying one has to bear whatever comes with the post he or she holds.

    People like Bhagat Singh also made sacrifices without holding any position, he said.

    Singh, once considered a confidant of the chief minister, was also not present in Patna on Thursday where top party leaders, including Kumar, accompanied its Rajya Sabha bypoll candidate Anil Hegde during the nomination filing.

    A section of JD(U) leaders claim that Singh, the only leader of the party in the Narendra Modi government, has veered closer to the BJP, with the relation between the two parties seemingly far from smooth even though both are allies in Bihar.

    His term as Rajya Sabha member is also ending, and the JD(U) is yet to announce its candidate for the lone full-term seat it is in a position to win.

    The last date of filing the nomination is May 31. It is necessary for any minister to be a member of Parliament. “He does not attend other senior party leaders in the filing of nomination by its Rajya Sabha candidate and attends an event in Delhi to make strong remarks about Nehru which has never been Kumar’s view. This speaks a lot,” a JD(U) leader said, wishing not to be named.

    In his address, Singh suggested that Nehru was chosen as prime minister due to the backing of Mahatma Gandhi. “I will not like to name that ‘yug purush’ (personality of the era). When the question came up for the first time who should be prime minister, then who had the support of the organisation, who had the votes, who had the backing of more CWC (Congress Working Committee) members? But the one with no vote became the country’s first prime minister.

    This decision cannot be challenged because the person, he added in apparent reference to Mahatma Gandhi without naming him, is so respectable to us, but it at least can be said after so many years that this is where our first mistake was made, Sardar Patel had everything but he did not get the post, Singh said.

    The BJP has repeatedly questioned the choice of Nehru as India’s first prime minister, saying Patel enjoyed more support within the Congress and would have made a better choice for the post.

    Continuing with his attack on the Congress, the Union minister alleged the death of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi was deliberately announced hours after her actual demise so as to make preparations for her son Rajiv Gandhi to take over.

    He also lashed out at the Congress for not giving Bharat Ratna, Indian’s highest civilian honour, to Patel and B R Ambedkar for decades of its rule and slammed Nehru, noting that he was given the award when he was prime minister.

    “They (Congress) will repeatedly say that their family members made sacrifice for the country; our family members were killed. This is true but so many people made sacrifices for the country’s independence. If you are holding a position, then you will have to bear with it whatever comes along. But they keep saying we made sacrifices. People from entire country made sacrifices,” he added.

    Singh battled for a law to stop more than one member of a family from holding positions in a party and government.

    In this context, he also praised Kumar and Modi for shunning promotion of their families and said entire Bihar and the country are their respective family. Heaping praise on Modi, he cited a number of the central government schemes, saying they have aimed at uplift of the poor sections of society.

  • Nehru continues to inspire world leaders, but Modi denigrates him: Congress on Singapore PM’s speech

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: After Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong invoked Jawaharlal Nehru during a speech on democracy, the Congress on Thursday said while the country’s first premier continues to inspire world leaders even today, PM Narendra Modi denigrates him inside and outside of Parliament.

    “Pandit Nehru’s magnanimity continues to inspire world leaders even today. Pity the ones here at home who fail to have the vision to understand the exceptional leader he was,” the Congress said on its Twitter handle.

    Senior party leader and former Union minister Jairam Ramesh shared a video clip of Lee Hsien Loong’s speech and said, “Singapore PM invokes Nehru to argue how democracy should work during a parliamentary debate whereas our PM denigrates Nehru all the time inside and outside Parliament.” Former prime minister Manmohan Singh said the BJP, despite being in power for more than seven years, continued to blame Nehru for the problems of the people.

    ALSO READ: Rather than admitting mistakes, BJP govt blaming Nehru for people’s problems: Manmohan Singh

    The Indian Overseas Congress also said on Twitter, “Nehru stands tall as an epitome of democracy! Listen to PM of Singapore who refers to Nehru when he speaks about building a democratic society. Hope our PM listens to it.” The All India Mahila Congress also shared an identical tweet.

    Senior Congress leader and former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Digvijaya Singh tweeted, “This is the difference between Lee Hsien Loong and Narendra Modi. Lee is leading Singapore to new heights of development and Modi is taking our country for a ride on false promises. No matter how hard Modi tries, Pt Nehru shall remain immortal, builder of Modern India.” Lee invoked Nehru while arguing how democracy should work in the city-state during a passionate debate in Parliament.

    “Most countries are founded and start off on the basis of high ideals and noble values. But more often than not, beyond the founding leaders and the pioneer generation, over decades and generations, gradually things change,” he said on Tuesday.

    “Things start off with passionate intensity. The leaders, who fought for and won independence, are often exceptional individuals of great courage, immense culture, and outstanding ability. They came through the crucible of fire and emerged as leaders of men and nations. They are the David Ben-Gurions, the Jawaharlal Nehrus, and we have our own too,” he said.

    Imbued with enormous personal prestige, they strive to meet the high expectations of their peoples to build a brave new world, and shape a new future for their peoples, and for their countries.

    But beyond that initial fervour, succeeding generations often find it hard to sustain this momentum and drive, Lee said. The texture of politics changes, respect for politicians declines. After a while, the electorate comes to think this is the norm. So, standards get debased, trust is eroded, and the country declines further, he said.