Congress leader Rahul Gandhi slams Amit Shah over Jawaharlal Nehru 'Kashmir problem' remarks

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi outside the Parliament in New Delhi on December 12, 2023. Pic//PTI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Tuesday slammed Union Home Minister Amit Shah's criticism of India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, by saying that Shah lacks historical knowledge and often "rewrites" history.

During a Rajya Sabha session on Monday, Shah had held Nehru responsible for the Kashmir problem, attributing it to what he described as "mistakes" in declaring an "untimely" ceasefire and involving the United Nations in the matter.

In response to Shah's remarks, Rahul Gandhi defended Nehru, stating, "Pandit Nehru dedicated his life to this country. He was in jail for years. Amit Shah ji probably does not know history. I don't expect that he would know history as he keeps rewriting history."

Gandhi further emphasized that the focus should be on the critical issues of caste census and financial accountability. He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to divert attention from these crucial matters.

"This is all about distraction; the basic issue is of caste census and participation - whose hands hold the country's money. They (BJP) don't want to discuss this issue; they are afraid of it and run away from it," the former Congress president told reporters outside Parliament.

Addressing the BJP's recent appointment of tribal and Other Backward Classes (OBC) Chief Ministers in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi noted, "Ours was also an OBC Chief Minister in Chhattisgarh, they have also made an OBC Chief Minister in Madhya Pradesh; that is not the issue. The question is, what is the participation (of OBCs) within the structure."

While acknowledging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi belongs to the OBC category, Gandhi raised concerns about the representation of OBCs within the government bureaucracy. He questioned the level of participation of OBCs, Dalits, and Adivasis in institutional systems.

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Gandhi asserted that the BJP often resorts to discussing figures like Nehru to distract from the core issues. He emphasized that the primary concern is about inclusive participation and representation in the country's governance structures.

Shah, on the other hand, maintained his stance, alleging that the opposition fails to acknowledge the positive changes on the ground in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370. He contended that the entire nation understands that Nehru's "mistakes" regarding Kashmir led to the suffering of the people in the region. (With inputs from agencies)