"Once and for all, let's close it" | Priyanka Gandhi to PM Modi on Nehru

The time Jawaharlal Nehru, the country's first Prime Minister, spent in jail during the freedom struggle is close to the period Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been in the country's top post, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said in Parliament today. Addressing the House during a discussion to mark 150 years of the national song, Vande Mataram, she slammed the Prime Minister and the BJP for his repeated criticism of Nehru.

"The Prime Minister has spent 12 years as Prime Minister. Jawaharlal Nehru spent nearly the same period in jail for this country's independence. He then served as Prime Minister for 17 years. You criticise him a lot, but if he had not started ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), you wouldn't have Mangalyaan. If he had not started DRDO, there would be no Tejas; if he had not started IITs and IIMs, we would not be ahead in IT; if he had not started AIIMS, how would we face a challenge like Corona?" she asked. "Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru lived for the country and died serving the country," the Wayanad MP said.

Nehru went to prison nine times during the independence movement, spending over 3,200 days in jail -- nearly nine years. 

Priyanka Gandhi advised the Prime Minister to make a list of insults for Jawaharlal Nehru. "Whether it is 999 or 9,999, make a list, and then we can decide on a time, just like we are debating for 10 hours on Vande Mataram. We are ready to debate about it for as long as you want. But let us use the precious time of this Parliament for the job people have elected us for. Once and for all, let's close the chapter," she said, drawing loud cheers from the Opposition benches.

"The country will hear the complaints, what Indira ji, what Rajiv ji did, what is dynasty politics, what are Nehru's mistakes, let's speak about them and end it there. Then we can talk about unemployment and price rise," Priyanka Gandhi said.

Earlier, the senior Congress leader accused the government of organising the Vande Mataram discussion with an eye on the Assembly election in Bengal next year. "This debate has been organised to divert attention because this government wants to hide the reality of the present," she said.