Lie: Pandit Nehru was an elite who did nothing for the masses

Fondly called Chacha Nehru due to his great affection for children, his birthday i.e. November 14 is celebrated as Children’s Day every year.

Nehru became the first Prime Minister of Independent India.

He was the Chief Architect of Modern India. It was his vision and that of Gandhi, Patel and Ambedkar amongst others which laid the foundation of a modern and secular India.

Pre-Independence Contribution

After his return from the UK, his occupation as a barrister was the last thing on his mind. It was during this period that he eventually came to believe in Mahatma Gandhi and dedicated himself to non-violence and Satyagraha.

His first big involvement was at the onset of the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920.

He was elected as President of the Indian Nation Congress for the first time at the age of 40, at the 1929 Lahore Session.

Here, he declared the goal of complete freedom or ‘Purna Swaraj,’ a monumental milestone in the Indian Freedom Struggle.

The Civil Disobedience movement was formally launched after the Lahore Congress, and Nehru plunged himself into the non-violent protests happening across the nation.

Mahatma Gandhi launched the Quit India Movement in 1942. Nehru was arrested for participating in the movement and was released only in 1945.

He also became the Congress President in the consecutive years of 1936 and 1937.

7 Stars of Nehru that built Modern India

His contributions to India post-independence are even more numerous as he had to rebuild India and heal it from centuries of British Colonialism.

1^st – Nehru’s First ‘5 Year Plan’

Championing the development of the Primary Sector of India.

2^nd – Nehru’s Education Policy

Built the summit of the Indian education system –  IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, NIT’s.

3^rd – Free Milk and Meals for Children

Our fight against malnutrition and hunger.

4^th – Non-Alignment Policy

With the goals of a peaceful coexistence, Nehru’s policy of non-alignment found universal acceptance.

5^th – Import Substitution Industrialization

The original ‘Make in India’, Nehru’s policy eased India’s over-dependence on foreign imports and promoted domestic industries.

6^th – ‘State Reorganization Act’

a major reform of the boundaries of India’s states and territories, organising them along linguistic lines.

7^th – Land Reforms

A major agrarian reform that successfully abolished large landholdings to protect small farmers and initiate rapid industrialization.

Other Landmark initiatives

The National Defence Academy

• Nehru laid the foundation stone for the India’s National Defence

Atomic Energy Commission of India

• The beginning of India’s atomic and energy potential

The Hindu Marriage Act

• This enactment brought uniformity of law for all sections of Hindus, which wasn’t present in the ‘Sastrika Law’

The Hindu Law

• Nehru brought about many changes to the law that criminalizes discrimination and increase the legal rights and freedoms of women, SC’s and ST’s

1947 – Indian Independence Act

• Minimum Wages Act
• Banking Regulation Act
• The Karachi Agreement
• The Constitution of India
• Representation of the People Act
• Community Development Programme
• Special Marriage Act
• Citizenship Act
• Protection of Civil Rights Act
• Industrial Policy Resolution
• Copyright Act
• AMASR Act – (Historical monuments preservation)
• SBI Act

Pandit Nehru was a true fighter and a nation builder.

Happy Children’s Day to all!

Image Courtesy: The Indian Express