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Remembering the contributions and relevance of Nehru's policies on

his 51st death anniversary and discussing why a new mood of the
populace has been prejudicially set against him.

Mohd Anwar Jamal Faiz


Email: Toughjamy@yahoo.com
E-001, New Rizvi Ext Apartment, Medical Road, Aligarh
+91-8888327658

It is sad to see some people strongly criticizing Jawaharlal Nehru. I am not sad only because Nehru
is being criticized. Instead, I find it somber to see my fellow Indians to reprove and disparage him for
the reasons that they do not fully understand. We talk about brainwashing so many times but tend to
forget that what we give credence to, out of our sheer ignorance and Never-Actually-Read facts,
might be nothing more than a set of brainwashed instructions in themselves. At the onset itself, let
me remember it for you that that we all have passed our High School History and Civics subjects
with a great details on him and his contributions. We must have at some or the other times made
projects on him or him in conjunction with Mahatma Gandhi. We live in a nation carved out because
of contributions of leaders like Gandhi, Nehru, Maulana Azad, Bose, Jinnah, Patel, etc. But today we
take no time on arguing as if they were some sort of Goons, Killers or Looteras. What is more
dampening is to watch that we have believed so under the magical spells casted by some real
Goons, Killers or Looteras. Think again when I called you brainwashed.

The present study is centered on Nehru. Over others, I will talk later. Several inspirations in this
article have been taken from a recent post of Justice Markandey Katju. Former Chief Justice has
already said that - "As far as Kashmir is concerned, several things must be kept in mind. Firstly, the
situation was very fluid and topsy turvy at the time of Independence in 1947 and the Partition of
India. Secondly, there were international pressures of the big powers, and our leaders were new at
governance and lacked experience, because of which they were bound to make mistakes."

Justice Katju further says, "The recent attempts by some politicians to downplay Nehru's role and
overemphasize that of Sardar Patel is wholly misplaced. Nehru and Patel had great respect for each
other, and complemented each other. All major policy decisions, e.g. uniting the princely states with
India were jointly taken by them, as well as other leaders like Azad. Hence to say that if Patel had
been Prime Minister instead of Nehru, the Kashmir problem, and other problems would have been
solved, is talking a lot of nonsense."

Now, let me take you to an important yet a non-exhaustive serialized list of positive contributions of
Nehru:

1. Modernization of India by promoting science and technology:


The British policy was to keep India broadly unindustrialized, so that it may not become a rival to
British industry. As a result our British rulers kept us broadly feudal and agricultural, which meant
poverty for the masses. Nehru's contribution in this field was to lay the foundation of a heavy
industrial base in India, with steel plants, power projects, coal mining, chemical plants, etc. The
further growth in the Indian economy was the consequence of that heavy industrial base. Before
India became independent in 1947, even safety pins had to be imported from England, because the
British policy was that we should be dependent on their industrial products. Nehru aimed at import
substitution, and the result has been that today we manufacture most of the products we use.

2. Zamindari system abolition and setting up of IITs/IIMs/CSIR etc


It was under the guardianship of Nehru that the agriculture was sought to be modernized by
abolishing landlordism through the Zamindari Abolition Acts, setting up Agricultural Institutes,
erecting dams for irrigation, etc.
Also, Nehru and his colleague Maulana Azad were determined to set up engineering and
management colleges and technical institutes, as well as centers of scientific research and teaching.
Freeing lands from Zamindars and princely states was not a cup of cake. Then, arranging lands,
infrastructure and other resources for institutes was also not so easy. Today, we see such Land
Acquisition bills being passed which will snatch the only single remaining right with poor farmers the right to live and run livelihood. The present leaders are snatching lands from poors to be sold or
gifted to corporates having a symbiotic relationship with them. Nehru, on the other hand, curbed the
atrocities of riches and let farmers bloom. Nehru, on the other hand, arranged lands and resources
which later led to the setting up of IITs, IIMs, CSIR, and other science and technology institutes and
departments. These institutions have a provable record of their success- both in terms of servicing
India and bringing fame to the nation.

3. Introduction of The Five Year Plans aimed at steadily industrializing India to get rid of our poverty.
He was not keen just to rule and maintain his 5 years. Instead, he was keen on making rules and
introspection strategies for future India. The five year plans were to implement policies. Sadly, no
one questions or explains about the results of these five-year plans but more interested in news and
advertisement spaces that are nowadays being bought by shitting out some good hefty amounts
(around 1200 crore rupees in 2014!) just to show what the government has been they doing in 1
year.

4. Constant working against untouchability and malpractices of those times. It was Nehru and his
cabinet supporting him to lay down rules for civil liberties and fundamental rights. Each section of

society today, owes to his team for devising out such nice strategies. Now it was up to the next
generation of politicians to amend, maintain and enhance policies. Sadly, amendment acts are now
seen more in issues related to personal faiths and medieval history of India. Do I even need to tell
why!

5. Nehru and his colleagues, including Sardar Patel, Maulana Azad, etc were determined that India
will be a secular state, and not a theological one like our other sister-half country generated on 14th
August 1947. They defended religious pluralism, and in a country of such varied diversity as India,
they were rightly so.

6. Nehru and Azad laid great emphasis on education, including both primary education and also the
institutes of higher learning. IITs, IIMs, CSIRs are because of Nehru and his thoughts. Should we not
thank him? Or, do we need to dance only when we elect education ministers devoid of educational
degrees.

7. Nehru's foreign policy of Non Alignment was the correct one, as we would have lost our
independence if we had become too dependent on one super power. Starting the Non-Alignment
movement with Naseer from Egypt and Tito from Japan was a brave act. A very calculated and
brave act! Heroic, sounds better.

8. Nehru respected institutions like Parliament, the judiciary, the administrative service, etc. and was
a supporter of civil liberties and democracy. It is though unfortunate that Indira once demolished this
structure of democracy. But I will discuss that later in some other discussion. And, will also discuss
how others including the present governments have misused these pillars of democracy. The fourth
pillar, Media, can also be discussed at length. But, at this point we shall thank leaders of those times
who thought and made these institutions. If it were not the same and had there been some leaders
like today, then trust me- we would have been completely doomed to an autocratic daemon driven
society. Thanks to Nehru and his team.

At this juncture of our discussion, let me and you analyze the real reasons and the weights of
justifications when Nehru and his contributions are questioned. Here, I want to bring about the
reasons as to why a new mood of the populace has been prejudicially set against him:

In the very first reasons of all, let's note that Nehru has been a firm supporter of Science and
technology. A prime reason could be that he himself was well taught. But today we have top leaders
who are very less or not educated. Absence of education and hence an absence of proper
understanding of human issues as well as international issues, lead them to talk all rubbish. In their
own state of mind, they thing they are doing well. I pity on them in this case. But, I have my own
anger against them when I see leaders confusing people over issues like Beef meat. In some states

of the same nation, it is allowed and in some states it is not. Seems holiness of cow is also defined
on the basis of their geographical distribution. Lol. And, with their stupidities intact, they even tell that
people wanting to eat beef should leave India and go to Pakistan or Arab nations. What a dramatic
speech by a super-dramatist. They can, however, not explain what has a buffalo to do with a cow.
Seems, buffalo is also included now in the holy list in this one year. And, trust me their list might
include much more in times to come. But, the truth is that no one knows who is making this list and
which texts are giving them this super knowledge. It is so heart-breaking to see our elected leaders
doing things to provoke people who are poor or less educated. Sad to see an edible being classified
as non-edible and drinking urine being classified as plant-growers and health-enhancers. If it would
not be a criticism of a great science supporting Nehru, what more would you expect from the breed
of leaders who so confidently claim that surgery was invented in India.

Secondly, Nehru along with Maulana Azad and Bhimrao Ambedkar laid down the very fabrics of
Secular India. Now since the present breed of magic casters (And, you know whom I am referring
to!) have devised out an altogether different meaning of Secularism. And, since they have
brainwashed almost 30% of my fellow Indians in believing that Secularism is some sort of
foolishness that constitution makers have done. And since, their inherent basic ideologies are rightly
shifted one. Then, what more do you expect for a Nehru mentality. How can we forget that leaders
today have become so sinful that they even tried to omit the mention of Secularism from the
preamble to the constitution of India? Obviously, criticism would be the best choice for these pseudo
nationalists.

Nehru has worked day and night against untouchability and promotion of the other civil rights. Had it
not been visions of Nehru, you and me would have not been writing or reading such a free speech
article. How do you expect present leaders to praise him, who continuously try to curtail
organizations like Greenpeace and several other NGOs? We today stand in close vicinity of goons
who will bang in right at your office or home for just one single FB like or post.

Nehru's stand with the Non-Alignment movement was a great stand. It was a super brave act and he
never boasted about his chest size in doing so. And, had he done so, it would have not been just 56
inches. My initial guesstimate is that it should have been in some hundreds. Seriously, it takes a
different courage to stand against US, China and Russia than to shake hands and click a selfie.

The worst of all happens with the international fame and repute of our first Prime Minister, Nehru. He
is being read, taught and published in almost each part of the world. We have center of studies
doing research over his policies. So, it is obvious for leaders who want to frame themselves with
each mention of India to oppose or demean him. Earlier it was Narcissism. Now, Modiism should be
the next intake in the Oxford and Merriam-Webster. With a latest speech outside India, leaders of
today have proclaimed that Indians were ashamed to be born in India since 2014. It is only now, they
feel proud. I do not know what will it take for the history to forgive a speech of such cheap personal
branding. Dear, I was and I am a proud Indian. And, everyone I know always was. In which fit of
rashes did our PM said we were ashamed of being born as Indians, is far from my logic. If at all we

were worried, it has always been about our poors and Godhra alike butchery. I am sad to see the
present leaders knowing only one fact that a minus is required to balance a plus. Because of
complete lack of wisdom and virtues, their minds are not able to think that multiple pluses can also
increase your value when compared to a single plus. But, for that you have to work, deliver and then
achieve a plus. Now, this is the utmost problem that they do not want to deliver or unable to deliver
because of their limited, less skilled and narrow minds. Hence, in order to be called and
remembered as the new national hero, they strongly believe that the heroism of others has to be
shortened down. I don't know what would it mean at this age but I must ask him- Grow Up Dude.

And, last but not the least, a very big problem to a certain wannabes in the Indian politics is that the
Nehru's family still enjoys prominent place in Indian political system. This is a 'Kirkiri' (dust) in the
eyes of some self-proclaimed saviors of the nation. This breed of leaders and thinkers will take no
time in pointing fingers at the Dynasty politics, without justifying why their own sons and daughters
are contesting elections. Further, they won't justify why don't they simply find any charges against
anyone. But they will just keep on singing the same word Dynasty Politics. Being born in a family
which has a legacy is not bad. Instead, being born in a family where blood-relations have been
cruelly killed and blasted is tough - Really Tough. You have more eye-balls watching you - even
when you are as young as 10 and want to play at a park, And even when you want to enjoy in a
disco just like any other normal fellow Indian. It's sad to see people getting brainwashed so easily by
mere coining of new terms by think tanks (I will deal with them in articles to come) without actually
thinking why a superstar's son is a superstar, why a classical singer's son is highly probable to be a
classical singer, why a mithaiwalla's son is more probable to enter the same business. It's
commonsense.

In conclusion, I would say that there exists a layer of hazed and muddled reality around us regarding
the history and the facts - for some it is less and for some it is dense. And, to make one's way
quickly or awkwardly up a steep gradient of power and politics, many have in past and recent times
tried to disillusion the masses. We need to understand the glory of our past, the diversity of the
rulers we had, our struggles against the British regime, the immediate post-independence issues
and the present efforts of maligning and distorting our thinking. Ones who still think otherwise are
welcome to contact me for a free Amazon delivery of a good history book. Err... I can use Flipkart
too!

Yours,
Anwar Jamal.
PS: There is much to learn and understand past my name.
Tags: #Bas1 #BeAsOne #BasEkRaho #BarbarGhazipuri

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