Nehru Memorial / Sonia should return the papers related to Nehru... Nehru Memorial wrote a letter to Rahul

Nehru Memorial: Historian and Nehru Memorial member Rizwan Qadri has written a letter to Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on an issue related to the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (now Prime Minister Museum and Library - PMML). In this letter, Qadri has appealed to return some personal documents related to Nehru to PMML, which were withdrawn from the museum in 2008 at the request of Sonia Gandhi.

What is the controversy?

Rizwan Qadri wrote that Jawaharlal Nehru's personal letters, which were generously handed over to NMML (now PMML) by the Nehru Memorial Fund in 1971, are of immense importance for the modern history of India. He described these documents as "invaluable historical assets" which can be helpful in understanding the freedom struggle and the period thereafter.

According to Qadri, these documents include Nehru's correspondence with Jayaprakash Narayan, Edwina Mountbatten, Albert Einstein, Aruna Asaf Ali, Vijayalakshmi Pandit and other great personalities. Their study can be beneficial for researchers and historians.

He has also written a letter to Sonia Gandhi

Qadri also mentioned that he had earlier formally written a letter to Sonia Gandhi to return these documents. He suggested that either these documents be returned to PMML or their digital copies be made available to researchers.

What appeal was made to Rahul Gandhi?

In his letter, Qadri told Rahul Gandhi, "As the leader of the opposition, I urge you to take cognizance of this issue and take steps to preserve India's historical heritage." He also said that with cooperation, proper preservation of these historical materials can be ensured for future generations.

Importance of documents

According to Qadri, these documents may have personal importance to the Nehru family. But he believes that their being publicly available is necessary for the historical study of India. These give a glimpse of the freedom struggle and the thoughts, decisions and mutual dialogue of the leaders of that period.

Documents in Sonia Gandhi's custody

These documents were withdrawn from the museum in 2008 at the request of Sonia Gandhi. Qadri acknowledged that these may be personal to the Nehru family, but also said that they have national importance.

What could be the solution?

Qadri suggested three options as a solution:

Return the documents to PMML.

Make digital copies of these and make them available to researchers.

Ensure their preservation by allowing scanning.

Conclusion

This dispute is not only about the return of historical documents between the Nehru family and PMML, but it is also a matter of responsibility to preserve India's rich historical heritage. Qadri's appeal shows that these documents should be accessible to researchers and historians, so that the history of modern India can be understood more deeply. Now it remains to be seen what action Rahul Gandhi takes on this issue and whether these documents will be preserved as national heritage.