Nehrus personal papers still a secret with Sonia Gandhi, Nehrus relationships remain a secret. For scholars rejoicing at Sonia Gandhis handing over of Nehru papers to Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, here is a dampener. Sonia has declined to make available Nehrus personal papers which could provide a glimpse into his relationships with his family members and others. What is being made available are only the official papers, his correspondence, speech and other material from 1947 till his death in May 1964. Scholars and students have been looking forward to publication of personal papers which can fill the gaps in what can be a complete portrait of Nehru. Also, the Prime Ministers Office will not be in control of the Nehru papers but the culture ministry. Only access to Krishna Menon papers requires PMOs clearance. Menon had named Indira Gandhi as the custodian of his papers which was later on passed to PMO. All other papers like those of Charan Singh, G V Mavlankar, Devdas Gandhi and R N Kao need clearance of their family members. In case of papers of writer Nayantara Sehgal, daughter of Vijayalakshmi Pandit, the last installment has been closed and is not open to public. Even papers of Pyarelal, Gandhis close associate, has been closed by his family. As for the personal papers that will remain outside the domain of scholars are hundreds of letters Nehru wrote to his family members like father Motilal Nehru, mother Swaroop Rani, wife Kamala Nehru, daughter Indira, sisters Vijayalakshmi Pandit and Krishna Huteesingh and nieces Chandralekha, Nayantara and Rita. Also outside the purview will be letters between Nehru and Padmaja Naidu as well as between Indira Gandhi and Naidu, correspondence between Nehru and Edwina Mountbatten. Nehrus files at Padmajas house as well as Kamla Nehrus correspondence with Syed Mahmud all fall in the category of personal papers. Matter of making official records of Nehru public came to light in June when historian Susan Dabney Pennybacker of Univ of NC - currently working on Fire By Night, Cloud by Day: Exile and Refuge in Late-Empire, Postwar London - approached NMML for access to post-1947 official papers of Nehru. Request was sent to Sonia who is legal heir to Nehru papers. She said since Pennybackers request concerned govt papers, her clearance was not required but she made it clear her permission is required only if there are personal papers within 1947-64 period. Between 1982 and 1993, when the mammoth Nehru papers came to NMML from Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, it was made clear that it was being given the files to become custodian. It was reiterated papers were not gift to NMML.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 03:40:00 +0000
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