Is Nehru misunderstood?

[dravidianhero]

Nehru was in jail many times and for many years (11 years in all ) during independence struggle..if he was really power hungry why would he face such a painful life when he had all the wealth and comforts at his disposal?

There are people who never once went to jail and became leaders (and later held titles such as great leader and founding father of a country) just by inciting people in name of religion.Such leaders never left their luxuries.

Couldn't Nehru afford to lead such a life pretending to be working for our country's independence? If we read his book discovery of India, we get to know his love for India(which in fact is a compilation of letters written to his daughter by him.not a book written to show off his knowledge or love for India).

Off course he might have made some policy blunders but can we doubt his love and devotion for his country?

 

[indianBong]

every man has a good and bad side... no doubt...

mistakes;
Nehru couldn't tame the bureaucracy to work for the masses and shed its elitist outlook. He was some what elitist in his demeanor but he always cared about the lowest sections of society.
Nehru trusted Menon more than he should have had. Nehru's failed policies cost India 1962 war.
Unsolved kashmir issue...

good deeds..
Centralized planning and state investment in heavy industries created a solid industrial base.
Socialism was the "in thing" during 1950s because capitalism had failed in 1930s and even America was during these times tilted towards more state intervention in the economy.
Nehru established institutes of higher learning that make the backbone of Indian education today - IITs,IIMs,etc.
India was a cynosure of all eyes. Leader of Non Aligned Movement, friend of all those fighting colonial rule,imperialism and racism. (I belive the best thing he did was making of NAM..as joining soviet bloc or NATO would have lead india to disaster, as opposing bloc would have done everythin to break india... India was weakest at that point of time...)

@Joe Shearer @Spectre @zebra7 @FULL_METAL

 

[zebra7]

every man has a good and bad side... no doubt...

mistakes;
Nehru couldn't tame the bureaucracy to work for the masses and shed its elitist outlook. He was some what elitist in his demeanor but he always cared about the lowest sections of society.
Nehru trusted Menon more than he should have had. Nehru's failed policies cost India 1962 war.
Unsolved kashmir issue...

good deeds..
Centralized planning and state investment in heavy industries created a solid industrial base.
Socialism was the "in thing" during 1950s because capitalism had failed in 1930s and even America was during these times tilted towards more state intervention in the economy.
Nehru established institutes of higher learning that make the backbone of Indian education today - IITs,IIMs,etc.
India was a cynosure of all eyes. Leader of Non Aligned Movement, friend of all those fighting colonial rule,imperialism and racism. (I belive the best thing he did was making of NAM..as joining soviet bloc or NATO would have lead india to disaster, as opposing bloc would have done everythin to break india... India was weakest at that point of time...)

@Joe Shearer @Spectre @zebra7 @FULL_METAL

@indianBong Thanx for tagging me. But don't know what you feel about me giving my view on this topic. I am littlebit unorthodox in thinking. Give me some time to respond but before that I want Sir, @Joe Shearer and @Spectre to express their view. You don't tag @vsdoc @rainman

 

[indianBong]

I am littlebit unorthodox in thinking.

I am littlebit unorthodox in thinking.

you have rational thinking so i tagged you.... senior views are welcomed @MilSpec @scorpionx

 

[scorpionx]

you have rational thinking so i tagged you.... senior views are welcomed @MilSpec @scorpionx

Thanks for the tag. Interesting questions. a. Was he really power hungry? (we want no caesars) b.Can we question his loyalty and devotion to his country for his policy blunders?(can we question Chamberlain's and Daladier's?) I am in a bit hurry. Will come back later.

 

[Joe Shearer]

If there is a central feature of Nehru that I like, it was his genuine secularism, much stronger than his mentor, Gandhi's.

If there is a central feature of Nehru that I dislike, it was his centralising urge; it stultified Indian political development by decades. But others besides he contributed to that centralising tendency; Sardar Patel was one. And they were each of them rather different in character and nature and innate political inclination.

 

[Bang Galore]

If there is a central feature of Nehru that I dislike, it was his centralising urge; it stultified Indian political development by decades. But others besides he contributed to that centralising tendency; Sardar Patel was one. And they were each of them rather different in character and nature and innate political inclination.

Centralising might have been a necessity those days when a strong centre was needed. I won't blame him for that. The only blame due his way was the very bad handling of the border issue with China & the bringing in of his daughter into the congress. He gets a pass from me on his other mistakes, including on the economy where we have the benefit of 20/20 hindsight.

 

[Joe Shearer]

Centralising might have been a necessity those days when a strong centre was needed. I won't blame him for that. The only blame due his way was the very bad handling of the border issue with China & the bringing in of his daughter into the congress. He gets a pass from me on his other mistakes, including on the economy where we have the benefit of 20/20 hindsight.

At the time, it was probably the thing to do.

The border issue with China was indeed ineptly handled. Bringing his daughter into the Congress was a natural thing to do. Guess how Jawaharlal came into the party himself.

 

[[Bregs]]

Just like every politician he had some bad and good legacy following him. he was the one responsible in sowing the roots of democracy in India in challenging times otherwise India too would have gone like its neighbor

 

[south block]

He was a great leader, its a shame that politics has continuously gone down in India after his departure

 

[Guynextdoor2]

every man has a good and bad side... no doubt...

mistakes;
Nehru couldn't tame the bureaucracy to work for the masses and shed its elitist outlook. He was some what elitist in his demeanor but he always cared about the lowest sections of society.
Nehru trusted Menon more than he should have had. Nehru's failed policies cost India 1962 war.
Unsolved kashmir issue...

good deeds..
Centralized planning and state investment in heavy industries created a solid industrial base.
Socialism was the "in thing" during 1950s because capitalism had failed in 1930s and even America was during these times tilted towards more state intervention in the economy.
Nehru established institutes of higher learning that make the backbone of Indian education today - IITs,IIMs,etc.
India was a cynosure of all eyes. Leader of Non Aligned Movement, friend of all those fighting colonial rule,imperialism and racism. (I belive the best thing he did was making of NAM..as joining soviet bloc or NATO would have lead india to disaster, as opposing bloc would have done everythin to break india... India was weakest at that point of time...)

@Joe Shearer @Spectre @zebra7 @FULL_METAL

Most importantly, he set 'precedent' of democracy. You stay in power only if you win elections. You don't screw wirh constitution once you adopt it. Unfortunately for Pak it's early leaders played and toyed with all of this in early days. The consequences are there for all to see.

 

[Lord ZeN]

Couldn't Nehru afford to lead such a life pretending to be working for our country's independence? If we read his book discovery of India, we get to know his love for India(which in fact is a compilation of letters written to his daughter by him.not a book written to show off his knowledge or love for India).Off course he might have made some policy blunders but can we doubt his love and devotion for his country?

There is hardly any doubt about his love and devotion for India but his performance as our first Prime Minister was not really stupendous. Neither was his Cabinet any better. He did lay our country's foundation but never tried to strengthen it. He never had any professional approach to administration but was rather idealistic to core. And you never run a country by idealism , especially a poor third world country with hostile neighbors.

 

[topgun047]

 

[Bang Galore]

Bringing his daughter into the Congress was a natural thing to do. Guess how Jawaharlal came into the party himself.

Not exactly the same, is it? One of that was a bed of thorns, the other....

 

[zebra7]

If there is a central feature of Nehru that I like, it was his genuine secularism, much stronger than his mentor, Gandhi's.

First of sorry for disagreeing with you.
How was he more secular than Gandhi ?
He was the one who opposes his daughter Mrs Indira Gandhi marriage with a Parsi Firoz Gandhi, and allow only when inteviene by Gandhi who gives his own name as Gandhi, this is how firoz becomes Firoz Gandhi. Mrs Indira Gandhi wrote a letter which gives the state of mind of her in which very confussed and unhappy and said the whole india is against her marriage.

If there is a central feature of Nehru that I dislike, it was his centralising urge; it stultified Indian political development by decades. But others besides he contributed to that centralising tendency; Sardar Patel was one. And they were each of them rather different in character and nature and innate political inclination.

The perception is that he was the great visionary, and set up IIT and understood the importance of education and development, but actually he was benifited from the fact that he was the first prime minster and the leader who took all the credit. He was benifited with the great leaders and visionary leaders who contributed toward the benefits and industralization of India, because they had seen slavery and the conditions of India closely under the leadership of MK gandhi in the quest of independance

Power Hungry -- Definately -- He dislike Subhash Chander Bose for his popularity. In one rally when both were present, A strong rain starts falling and people gathered there starts running to shelter, than Subhash Bose, called the people, if you are worried from the rain for getting wet, how you will get independance, and people returns and sat in the wet dirt. Nehru was shocked. His reaction when Subhash Chander Bose forming Azad Hind Fauz -- I will be the first man who will face bose with the sword.
Jinnah wants pakistan, but when mk gandhi asked jinnah to become first pm and form the goverment as he like to avoid partition, Nehru prompted, that Hindu are bending too much.

Love for the Country -- No doubt, but I have no doubt that in the heart special love for the kashmiri Pandit, after all he was Kashmiri Pandit. Heard that special IAF planes carry water from Chashma-e-shahi from Kashmir to New Delhi for his consuption. I have tasted that water, and no doubt its a AMRIT, You can full your smotch up to the brim, put cannot fulfill your desire to drink more. But he wants Kashmiri Pandit to remain the enjoyable and upper class in the kashmir, thats why got ready for the Rule-370, and giving J&K special previllage. Rule 101 if a king who have no other choice, and the Kabaili and pakistani soldier dressed as the mujaheed are roaming in Barahmullah just 20 KM away from the capital City Srinagar, could demand India to accept his demand. Rule no. 2, if Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel would have PM at that time would he accept such deal. Rule no. 3 Kashmiri Pandit were the upper class, more intellectual , more rich, more educated, have better land, houses, farms etc. So if other people from other states started coming and settle in the state specially from Punjab, who are better farmer, better businessman, comparatively rich, they would loose such upper state.-- Biggest Blunder done by Nehru, in Kashmir.