As the Congress celebrates its 131st Foundation Day today, an article published by the party’s Mumbai unit has caused a stir as it blames Jawaharlal Nehru for the state of affairs in Kashmir and refers to the alleged fascist antecedents of party president Sonia Gandhi.
The article states that Nehru should have listened to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s views on international affairs. Another article says Sonia Gandhi became the party president 62 days after joining the party as a primary member in 1997, and also made a failed attempt to form the government.
The article, which does not bear the name of the writer, has been published in this month’s issue of ‘Congress Darshan’ Hindi edition as a tribute piece to mark Patel’s death anniversary on December 15.
“Despite Patel getting the post of deputy prime minister and home minister, the relations between the two leaders remained strained, and both had threatened to resign time and again,” the article says.
If Nehru had embraced Patel’s foresight, many problems in international affairs would not have arisen, it adds.
The article cites a letter that Patel reportedly wrote in 1950 to caution Nehru against China’s policy towards Tibet and where “Patel described China as unfaithful, and a future enemy of India.”
“Had Patel been heard (by Nehru) then, the problems of Kashmir, China, Tibet and Nepal wouldn’t have existed now. Patel opposed Nehru’s move of taking the Kashmir issue to the UNO,” stated the article, adding, “Nehru did not agree with Patel’s views on Nepal.”
Mumbai Regional Congress Committee chief and editor of the journal Sanjay Nirupam said he is not involved in the day-to-day functioning of the magazine and was unaware of the article.
“I do not agree with the article. It seems to have been sourced, but I don’t know who the writer is,” Nirupam, who in his earlier stint with Shiv Sena edited Hindi newspaper ‘Dopahar Ka Saamana’, said, adding that corrective measures would be taken.