Political musings

This is regarding article in The Hindu (Merits of Martyrdom dated 22-05-2005). A credit should be given where it’s deserved. Nehru deserves fair bit of it as far as modernization of India was concerned. Whether it was establishing of much esteemed IIT’s ,nuclear program or unequivocal support extended to prominent industrialists such as JRD,all were is sync with aspirations of a young fledgling country .But blemishes refuse to die. China invasion and subsequent failure on India’s part in dealing with it was a big blot on Nehru’s otherwise acclaimed political career.
Political observers have always found Nehru highly opinionated. He had his set of people and he used to fall back on them, sometimes it defied rational thinking, but Nehru always got away with his ways. V.K Menon is one good example of the same. The brilliant and eloquent speaker had an irresistible charm and Nehru more often than not fell prey to it. VKM was squarely blamed for China fiasco and perhaps fairly too.

Of course we Indians are emotional people and great fans of tragedies. Bradman’s popularity would have never been the same if he had correctly read that fatal googlie
of Hollies. Nehru wasn’t a martyr, but same holds true for Patels and Azads . Patel was always considered a prime ministerial candidate, but for Gandhi’s overtures he could have well ended at Nehru’s place. We would never know what would have been the denouement of this great opera ‘India in 60’s’. But speculations can always be made and that adds charm to the beauty of History.
Sincerely yours…
Ruchir