Nehru Memorial Museum and Library is now Prime Ministers' Museum and Library

The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society in New Delhi has been renamed as Prime Ministers' Museum and Library Society. The decision to change the name was taken during a special meeting of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society (NMML), the Culture Ministry said on Friday."The change is a big step to acknowledge, honour and celebrate the diversity in India's national leadership," Vice Chairman, Executive Council, NMML A Surya Prakash said."The passage of the resolution by the General Body of this Society is not a small step. It is rather a very big step to reiterate our commitment to democracy and to acknowledge our national political leadership," Prakash was quoted as saying by ANIThe meeting was presided over by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday. Singh is also the vice president of the Society.A statement by Culture Ministry said Singh in his address "welcomed the proposal for change in name", since in its new form the institution exhibits the contributions of all prime ministers from Jawaharlal Nehru to Narendra Modi and their responses to various challenges faced by them.Singh described prime ministers as an institution and comparing the journey of various prime ministers to the varied colours of a rainbow. He emphasised that "all the colours of a rainbow have to be proportionately represented in order to make it beautiful"."Thus the resolution has given a new name, respect to all our previous prime ministers and is democratic in content," the statement read.The renaming comes within a year after the ‘Pradhanmantri Sanghralaya’ or the Prime Minister’s Museum was inaugurated at the historic Teen Murti Complex, where the NMML is housed.Congress hits out at PM ModiThe Congress hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government over the decision to rename the museum, calling it a "petty act" and asserting that legacies don't get erased by renaming buildings.Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Pettiness and Vengeance, thy name is Modi. For over 59 years Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) has been a global intellectual landmark and treasure house of books and archives. It will henceforth be called Prime Ministers Museum and Society.""What won't Mr. Modi do to distort, disparage and destroy the name and legacy of the architect of the Indian nation-state. A small, small man overburdened by his insecurities is the self-styled Vishwaguru," Ramesh said.Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said the Teen Murti Bhavan is a historic monument where India's destiny was crafted."The architect of India's post-independence glory was our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Erasing his legacy by changing the name of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library is a petty act, which only further diminishes the stature of the current regime," Venugopal tweeted."India's every success is achieved on the foundation of Nehru ji's vision. India knows that, and removing his name from a museum will not change the revered stature that Nehru ji enjoys in every Indian's heart," he said.Congress MP Manish Tewari also attacked at the government, saying legacies don't get erased by renaming buildings."I wish those who want to erase Jawahar Lal Nehru's contribution to freedom struggle & building of Modern India would once read Discovery of India & Glimpses of World History to fathom the depth of Nehru," he said on Twitter.Congress spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said, "You can remove (Jawaharlal Nehru's) name from the boards but you can't remove the respect which people of this country have for him."With inputs from agenciesRead all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.