Twenty days ago, Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma and the Congress sparred over alleged proposals to alter the basic nature of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) which claimed the job of the UPA-appointed director Mahesh Rangarajan and culminated in the centenary celebrations of Jana Sangh founder Deen Dayal Upadhyaya in the museum’s premises.
Yet, the six-month-old Executive Council of NMML reconstituted by the BJP government with some UPA appointees on board, is not only committed to keeping alive the vision of the country’s first Prime Minister, it also has requested BJP national spokesperson M.J. Akbar to work on a blueprint of the museum.
If the minutes of the meetings held by the reconstituted executive council under the BJP government, accessed by The Hindu under the Right to Information Act, are any indication, all members are keen to keep Nehru relevant and contemporary. Mr. Akbar did not respond to text messages sent to him.
The minutes of the three meetings held by chairperson Lokesh Chandra, himself an appointee of the Modi government, give an indication of the ideas of council members aiming to not only attract more visitors to the exhibition but also provide the road map to stay committed to Nehru’s vision.
Chairperson Chandra, vice-chairperson M.J. Akbar, members Surya Prakash, Pratap Bhanu Mehta, and Nitin Desai, besides officials of the Culture Ministry constitute the council. Mr. Chandra, Mr. Akbar and Surya Prakash have been appointed by the BJP. Three meetings were held on May 26, June 11 and June 27.
The issues covered and advice suggested to the then director Mr. Rangarajan were to consider organising talks on contemporary themes and topics on India, Asia and the Region that show the continuing relevance of Nehru’s concerns.
Meetings In the May 26 meeting, the director was advised to organise conferences on specific themes like Chandigarh and today’s urban challenges and India and West Asia. While appreciating the active seminar series initiated by the director, the council suggested exploring these wider themes to evolve perspectives on present dilemmas and inform policy and public awareness.
On item 10.3 of the agenda, there is a proposal to increase the allocation for the Nehru Museum Project from Rs. 5 crore to Rs. 10 crore by diverting funds from the allocation made for portal and administrative support.
At its June 11 meeting, the NMML society as well as the council felt it was time to upgrade the Museum especially by re-conceptualising the exhibitions so as to attract the present generation and also the generations to come.
The members felt that the Museum has to convey how India emerged as a modern democracy in the years the first Prime Minister lived in Teen Murti House. “The story of this profound transformation — political, socio-economic, scientific and technological — besides cultural with global implications — has to come alive,” say the minutes of the meeting. It was also decided at this meeting to have vice-chairman Akbar prepare a draft to mark these changes.
The observations made at the third meeting on June 27 are revealing in their commitment to Nehru’s vision. Observations like making the galleries attractive apart, Mr. Akbar seconds member Pratap Bhanu Mehta’s suggestion that Nehru’s will and testament should find a place.
