"Need To Get Out Of Cult Worship": Jaishankar Criticises Nehru's Foreign Policy Citing His Contemporaries

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar criticised the foreign policy of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru by quoting the stance of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel and BR Ambedkar.

He explained that his criticism of Nehru does not come from the benefit of hindsight and said, "Somebody in 1948, 49, 50, 51, 52 stood up... Nehru's contemporaries questioned his decisions at that point in time."

Jaishankar cited Syama Prasad Mookerjee's opposition to the Nehru-Liyaquat pact as the latter believed that Pakistan would not treat our minorities in the same way as we treat theirs due to its nature of existence.

He then gave the example of China citing Patel who gave in writing that the intentions of China cannot be taken in a positive way. However, Nehru responded by saying that nobody would undertake wild adventure across the Himalayas.

"BR Ambedkar said why are you alienating the Americans? We were alienating the Americans on behalf of China. What an irony, in 1950s we spoiled our relationship with America by arguing on behalf of China," Jaishankar said.

"This is not hindsight, this is not a political polemic. I call it road not taken, missed opportunities in foreign policy. We need to get out of this cult worship that everything from 1946 to pick your year, were great years," he added.

Jaishankar said that Nehru's foreign policy is not an "impeccable theology" and that deviation from it will make us wrong. He asserted policies should be audited and people should look at the past with a critical mind.