No plan to alter Nehru museum, says MP Karan Singh

There will be no tinkering with the original structure of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML), the annual general body meeting chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh decided on Tuesday.

Importantly, there was no concrete decision on the proposed museum on the NMML grounds to memorialise all former Prime Ministers.

“There was a general discussion but there was no decision. It is a heritage building. There will be no tinkering with the original structure,” NMML Society member and Congress Rajya Sabha MP Karan Singh told reporters after the meeting.

Mr. Singh said the present building would be upgraded and a new one might come up, but everyone would be taken into confidence. Mr. Singh made it clear that there would be no denigration of the present structure — the Teen Murti Bhavan — which was the residence of Nehru. It was turned into a museum after his death in 1964.

“Broadly, we discussed three things. The existing museum will be modernised and expanded. Its essential emphasis on Jawaharlal Nehru and the freedom movement will be respected and maintained,” NMML executive council member Jairam Ramesh told The Hindu .

Mr. Ramesh said though there was an in-principle decision to set up a museum to memorialise the former Prime Ministers, the details had not been worked out. “Preliminary proposals have been called for, a concept paper will now be prepared detailing how and where the museum should be constructed,” Mr. Ramesh added.

Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta, a member of NMML executive council, too said the “gallery of former Prime Ministers will be made with the due approval of experts.”

The Congress had earlier criticised the move calling it a deliberate attempt to dilute the legacy of Jawaharlal Nehru. The Culture Ministry has been toying with the plan for many months. It started working on it after approval from the Prime Minister’s Office. The idea is to use the extensive grounds of the NMML to construct an additional building to showcase the legacy of all former Prime Ministers and their successors.

After going on the offensive, the Congress has decided to keep mum for now. “Let’s await the concept paper on the proposed museum although the idea itself is a bit crazy,” a senior Congress leader said.