Hyderabad: In what can only be seen as a move to undermine India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the former freedom fighter’s photo was given a clear miss in Salar Jung Museum here, where the government has put up photos of other contemporaries, including that of RSS ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
Under the aegis of the Centre’s ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ initiative, the Salar Jung Museum has highlighted several heroes of India’s independence who were involved in the freedom struggle against the British. From Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi to unsung freedom fighters like Kanhu Murmu, the museum currently houses a treasure trove of names from the independence movement.
Remove Veer Savarkar’s portrait from Salar Jung Museum: Congress to govt
But Nehru’s picture was given a clear miss. When this reporter visited the central government-run Salar Jung museum, it was found that among all the photos (accompanied with details of achievements) erected around the museum, that of Nehru was missing.
Moreover, an infographic explaining the independence timeline has astonishingly omitted the first Prime Minister’s name from the historic Red Fort flag hoisting which took place on August 15, 1947.
The irony of the whole matter is Jawaharlal Nehru had laid the cornerstone of the notable Salar Jung Museum on July 23, 1963.
Speaking to Siasat.com on the matter, a Salar Jung museum official said, “There is no specific reason for skipping Jawaharlal Nehru. We just wanted to highlight the unsung heroes of the freedom struggle rather than focusing on the widely known activists.”
When asked about the incorporation of other prominent freedom fighters including Dr. B R Ambedkar, Bhagat Singh, Mangal Pandey, and Subhas Chandra Bose in the program, the Salar Jung Museum official said, “Jawaharlal Nehru is far more famous than these personalities and they require more spotlight.”
Despite several attempts, Siasat.com could not reach the Salar Jung Museum director A Nagender Reddy.
The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) has also raised objections to the inclusion of RSS ideologue Savarkar in the Salar Jung Museum exhibit. Stating that Savarkar was never a part of the independence struggle, the Congress leaders urged the Telangana government to remove the photo of Savarkar.
