Earlier it was focused only on Jawaharlal Nehru: Sushil Modi slams Congress

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Saturday slammed Congress for its criticism of the renaming of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society in Delhi and said that the museum earlier showcased only former PM Jawaharlal Nehru's contributions, whereas now contributions of all PMs have been displayed.

The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society in Delhi have been renamed as Prime Ministers' Museum and Library Society.

While talking to ANI, Sushil Modi said, "Congress did not showcase his (Jawaharlal Nehru) contributions properly in the museum. I visited the museum and some of his documents, and chairs were kept but now it is very well displayed."

"Earlier it was focused only on Jawaharlal Nehru but now the contributions of all PMs have been shown and hence name can't be only on the name of Jawaharlal Nehru," he added.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla launched a scathing attack on the grand old party, terming it a "Family Ltd Company".

Poonawalla said, "Congress cannot see beyond one family. It is a Family Ltd Company, a Family Ltd Enterprise. If respect is given to PMs HD Deve Gowda, Inder Kumar Gujral, Charan Singh, Chandrashekhar and others who contributed to this nation but did not have the fortune of belonging to one family, if their contribution is celebrated in a museum why is it a dictatorial attitude?"

The Culture Ministry said on Friday that it had been decided to change the name of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society to Prime Ministers' Museum and Library Society. The decision was taken at a special meeting of the Memorial Museum and Library Society presided over by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the Vice-President of the Society.

This project was approved by Executive Council, NMML in its 162nd meeting held in November 2016. The Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya was opened to the public on April 21 last year.

During the inauguration, despite receiving an invitation from the government, no member of the Nehru-Gandhi family was present for the function. Three members of the Nehru-Gandhi family including Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi have served as Prime Ministers of the country.

The Culture Ministry release said that the Museum is a seamless blend which begins at the renovated and refurbished Nehru Museum building, "now completely updated with technologically advanced displays on the life and contribution of Jawaharlal Nehru".

"Housed in a new building the museum then goes on to tell the story of how our Prime Ministers navigated the nation through various challenges and ensured all-round progress of the country. It recognizes all the Prime Ministers, thereby democratizing the institutional memory," the release said.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president JP Nadda on Friday slammed Congress over its remarks on the renaming of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library as Prime Minister's Museum and Library Society and said that its inability to accept that there are leaders beyond "one dynasty" is a classic example of "political indigestion".

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday slammed the Centre and said that the move shows the "cheap mentality and dictatorial attitude" of the BJP and RSS.

"Classic example of political indigestion- the inability to accept a simple fact that there are leaders beyond one dynasty who have served and built our nation. PM Sangrahalaya is an effort beyond politics and Congress lacks the vision to realise this," Nadda tweeted.

In a series of tweets Nadda further said, "In PM Sangrahalaya, every PM has got respect. The section relating to Pandit Nehru hasn't been altered."

"On the contrary, its prestige has been enhanced. For a party which ruled India for over 50 years, their pettiness is really tragic. It's also the reason people are rejecting them," he further said.