On June 16, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presided at a special meeting wherein it was decided to change the name of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) Society to the Prime Ministers’ Museum and Library Society. Rajnath Singh is also Vice-President of NMML Society. The NMML is housed in the historic Teen Murti campus located south of Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
The idea of setting up a museum dedicated to all the Prime Ministers of India was mooted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016. The Executive Council of NMML, in its 162nd meeting held on November 25, 2016, approved the construction of the Museum of All Prime Ministers (Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya) in the Teen Murti Estate and was opened to the public on April 21, 2022.
“The Executive Council subsequently felt that the name of the Institution should reflect the present activities, which now also include a Sangrahalaya depicting the collective journey of democracy in Independent India and highlighting the contribution of each Prime Minister in nation-building”, as per the press release.
The museum is a seamless blend which begins at the renovated and refurbished Nehru Museum building. The Nehru Museum building has been extensively upgraded with cutting-edge exhibits on the life and contributions of Jawaharlal Nehru. The museum, housed in a brand-new building, continues by describing how our Prime Ministers guided the country through numerous difficulties and ensured that overall development was being made. As a result, it acknowledges every Prime Minister, democratising the institutional memory.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of the Executive Council, Nripendra Misra, explained the need for a change in name by “Emphasising that the Prime Ministers’ Museum expresses the nation’s deep commitment to democracy”. The institution’s name should therefore reflect its new form.
Rajnath Singh, during his address, welcomed the proposal for the name change since, in its new form, the institution exhibits the contributions of all prime ministers from Jawaharlal Nehru to Narendra Modi and their responses to various challenges faced by them. He said, “All colours of a rainbow must be proportionately represented in order to make it beautiful. Thus, the resolution has given a new name, respect to all our previous prime ministers and is democratic in content.”
The resolution is democratic in nature and has given a new name and respect to each of our former prime ministers. The NMML has emerged as a premier institution of research on the Indian history and society of the modern and contemporary periods. NMML organises lectures and seminars, which is an important part of the institution. It has enhanced and expanded its academic resources considerably in the recent past. Today, the Library houses not just an exhaustive collection of published material on numerous aspects of modern and contemporary history but also possesses an impressive and diverse archival holding.
Name Change Irks Congress
But this recent name change to Prime Ministers’ Museum and Library Society didn’t go well with Congress, and Senior Congress leaders have criticised the move.
Congress MP from Rajya Sabha, Jairam Ramesh, tweeted, “Pettiness & Vengeance, thy name is Modi. For over 59 years Nehru Memorial Museum & Library (NMML) has been a global intellectual lamdmark and treasure house of books & archives. It will henceforth be called Prime Ministers Museum & Society. What won’t Mr. Modi do to distort, disparage and destroy the name & legacy of the architect of the Indian nation-state. A small, small man overburdened by his insecurities is the self-styled Vishwaguru.”
Congress MP from Rajya Sabha, KC Venugopal, tweeted “The Teen Murti Bhavan is a historic monument where India’s destiny was crafted. The architect of India’s post-independence glory was our first PM Jawaharlal Nehru. Erasing his legacy by changing the name of the Nehru Memorial Museum & Library is a petty act, which only further diminishes the stature of the current regime. India’s every success is achieved on the foundation of Nehru ji’s vision. India knows that, and removing his name from a museum will not change the revered stature that Nehru ji enjoys in every Indian’s heart.”
BJP President JP Nadda responded to Congress’ attack and said, “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.”
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