‘Nehru Obsession, Pollution Neglect’: Congress Attacks BJP Amid Sonia Gandhi Document Row
Shekhawat said scholars, researchers, students and citizens “have a right to access original documentary sources to arrive at a truthful and balanced understanding” of Nehru’s life and legacy.
Congress MP Imran Masood on Thursday criticised the BJP-led central government after it asked Congress leader Sonia Gandhi to return 51 cartons of documents related to former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru to the Prime Ministers' Museum and Library (PMML).
Linking the issue to broader governance concerns, Masood accused the government of being obsessed with Nehru while ignoring pressing challenges such as air pollution and economic stress.
#WATCH | Delhi: On Central Government asks Congress Leader Sonia Gandhi to return 51 cartons of former PM Jawaharlal Nehru's papers, Congress MP Imran Masood says, "... They have nothing left other than Nehru. Even in their dreams, Nehru appears. Breathing is becoming difficult… pic.twitter.com/yJHIVOeMIb
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2025
“They have nothing left other than Nehru. Even in their dreams, Nehru appears. Breathing is becoming difficult in Delhi, the rupee is weakening against the dollar, and the Indian economy is declining, yet they are not concerned about these issues,” Masood said.
Row Over ‘Nehru Papers’
The demand for the return of Nehru’s papers has become a point of contention between the BJP and the Congress. A section within the PMML has been pushing for what it describes as the “reclaiming” of these documents, which were taken back by Sonia Gandhi several years ago.
After Jawaharlal Nehru’s death, his official residence, Teen Murti Bhawan in central Delhi, was converted into the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML), which housed an extensive collection of books and rare archival records. The NMML was renamed the Prime Ministers' Museum and Library in 2023.
Government’s Stand On Documents
Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said the documents were “handed over officially in 2008, on request”, and that records and catalogues related to the transfer were maintained by the PMML.
“In reality, 51 cartons of Jawaharlal Nehru papers were formally taken back by the family in 2008 from the Prime Ministers' Museum and Library (then NMML). Their location is known. Hence, they are ‘not missing’,” Shekhawat said.
On Wednesday, the government criticised Sonia Gandhi for retaining the documents and sought their return, arguing that the papers should be accessible to scholars and Parliament as they relate to the ‘Nehruvian’ period of Indian history.
Call For Public Access
Shekhawat said scholars, researchers, students and citizens “have a right to access original documentary sources to arrive at a truthful and balanced understanding” of Nehru’s life and legacy.
“On one hand, we are being asked not to debate the blunders of that era. On the other hand, primary source material that could enable informed debate is kept out of public access.
“This contradiction cannot be ignored. This is no ordinary matter. History cannot be curated selectively. Transparency is the foundation of democracy and archival openness is its moral obligation, which Mrs Gandhi and the ‘family’ need to uphold,” the minister said.
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