Jawaharlal Nehru, India's First PM, Did Not Act in 'Desh Hith' on Kashmir: Law Minister Rijiju | Exclusive

The first Prime Minister of India did not act in ‘desh hith’ (national interest) when it came to Kashmir, said law minister Kiren Rijiju, speaking exclusively to CNN-News18, keeping up his attack on Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. The Congress countered Rijiju?s attack on Nehru, pointing out that Sardar Patel was also party to the decisions taken by Nehru on Kashmir till September 1947, while Nasir Hussain of the party said ?blaming Nehru was the BJP?s pattern?.

The law minister said: “Pandit Nehru was more concerned about protecting Sheikh Abdullah?and taking in the views of common Kashmiri than going with the precedents set by other princely states ??Nehru ji ke liye desh hith baad mein aata hai…aur Sheikh Abdullah, jo unke mitr the, unka hith?ya Nehru ji ka apna mat pehle aata hai.”

Rijiju questioned why the views of then King of Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh, were not given precedence.

“Nehru ji didn?t accept the views of Hari Singh. In all other princely states, 500+, Sardar Patel ensured that the kings and queens were brought on board. There was no question of plebiscite or taking views of people or any other organisations. Why did Nehru ji make a departure for Kashmir,? the minister asked , adding it was wrong to negate the voice of the ruler only in case of Kashmir.

Nasir Hussain said: “This is a pattern of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), they do blunders and then blame Nehru for everything. Will this minister tell us what is happening at the India-China border? What is the situation there? No, because they don?t have answers, they are busy blaming Nehru for everything. If Nehru was doing things for his personal agenda, we wouldn?t have this infrastructure, IITs and IIMs. The BJP should do some work instead of blaming the Gandhis and Nehru for everything.”

This is the second time in two weeks that Rijiju has repeated his charge of “Nehruvian blunders”. Writing for News18, he had said, “It was unfortunate that even Congress leader Dr Karan Singh has not set the record straight on Kashmir.”

Rijiju has argued that “five historical blunders” by Nehru were responsible for the bloodshed in the Valley. He argued that all decisions, starting from using wrong Article to take the Kashmir issue to the UN to bringing in special status under Article 370, were responsible for the turmoil in Kashmir.

?Whatever differences and problems we had, could have been settled internally, but by taking the matter to international domain, you gave Pakistanis and separatists leverage?this was totally undesirable,? he said, adding the wrongs are being set right now with removal of special status. ?This Article has caused so much pain in uniting the minds of Kashmiris with India?.this Article gave Jammu and Kashmir a sense that they were different?.that Indian laws didn’t apply to them?it is very important for younger generation to know that historical blunders were committed,? Rijiju said.

Replying to the Congress?s counter that Sardar Patel was also party to the decisions, Rijiju said that the records he has cited show Nehru?s views in constituent assembly or in his correspondence. The records do not show that the views he was putting out were someone else?s.

?If this decision was taken by cabinet, then we would blame cabinet ?but if Nehru has said something, we will attribute it to him only?there should be no confusion,? he said.

Rijiju argued that Nehru?s decisions were motivated and it is wrong to say that Kashmir?s accession was delayed because Maharaja Hari Singh dithered.​

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