Nehru Memorial Museum and Library renamed; decision comes in for heavy criticism
The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) will now be called Prime Ministers Museum and Library Society (PMMLS). The Narendra Modi government has decided to drop Jawaharlal Nehru’s name from the museum complex set up in his memory and at his residence, Teen Murti Bhawan in New Delhi.
According to a government statement, the decision to change the name was taken at a ‘Special Meeting’ of the NMML Society, which was presided over by its vice-president, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
The 29-member body is headed by Prime Minister Modi and has several Union ministers including Amit Shah as its members.
The decision has come in for heavy criticism by many Opposition leaders, including those of the Congress.
Reacting to the renaming of NMML to PMMLS, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “small, small man overburdened by his insecurities” in a tweet.
The Rajya Sabha MP wrote: “Pettines & Vengeance, thy name is Modi. For over 59 years, NMML has been a global intellectual landmark 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.”
This decision on renaming comes a year the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya (Prime Ministers’ Museum) was built on the campus and inaugurated by the prime minister.
While the museum at Nehru’s residence has been refurbished, being updated with technologically advanced displays on his life and contributions, the stories of the other 13 prime ministers are housed in the new building, Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya.
