Rizwan Kadri has made headlines for seeking the release of private letters of Jawaharlal Nehru with Edwina Mountbatten.
OpIndia reported how 51 cartons containing correspondence of the former Prime Minister with different individuals were removed from the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (now known as Prime Minister’s Museum & Library) in 2008.
It was done at the behest of Sonia Gandhi. OpIndia spoke to Rizwan Kadri about the recent development and his letters to the Gandhi family.
Question: Why do you want the release of the Nehru papers?
Rizwan Kadri: When I became a member of the Prime Minister’s Museum & Library (PMML) in 2019, I wanted to read those letters. I kept on talking about it since then.
The public now has access to a lot of information but not the Nehru papers. This is especially true for the letters exchanged between Jawaharlal Nehru with JP Narayan and Edwina Mountbatten.
We had taken this issue up for discussion during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in February this year. All members have demanded that the collection of private papers be returned to PMML.
In the minutes of the meeting, it was mentioned that the entire collection of Nehru papers was removed in 2008 at the behest of Sonia Gandhi. It was taken away in 51 cartons.
The huge collection encompasses hidden facets of Indian history, which we have yet to explore. I had requested Sonia Gandhi in September to return the Nehru papers to PMML or allow us access either in digital or physical form.
Our objective is to study and encourage research on this subject.
Question: How and why did you reach out to the Gandhi family?
Rizwan Kadri: I sent a letter to Sonia Gandhi via speed post in September this year. An email was also sent. When I did not get any response, I sent a letter and email to Rahul Gandhi as well.
I told him that it is also his responsibility as Leader of the Opposition to ensure cultural preservation and future research by making the collection of Nehru papers available.
The history contained in those letters must come to the public domain. Right now, there is some element of speculation about what exactly is contained in those letters.
There must be some underlying reason for withdrawing the private collection of letters.
Question: Did historians ever access Nehru papers since Independence?
Rizwan Kadri: If we had to look at the Nehru collection earlier, then, we needed the permission of Smt Sonia Gandhi. And it was still not being shown to us for years.
A few years ago, about 21 collections were de-classified and made open to the public. It baffles me how access to historical materials can be closed or denied.
The more accessible you make resources for researchers, the higher the authenticity of the historical material which is read by the public.
Question: What message do you want to send to the Gandhi scions through our platform?
The Nehru papers constitute source material for researchers. We do not mind if the Gandhi family wants to retain the original copies of the letters. But, researchers must have digital access to them.
It is difficult for researchers from all over the country to come to Delhi, stay here and continue with their research. So for the sake of India’s history, we must provide access to the large collection of Nehru papers.
The Prime Minister’s Museum & Library is also exploring legal options.
Rizwan Kadri is an Ahmedabad-based historian. He is known for his exemplary work on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Mahatma Gandhi and Lokmanya Tilak. He currently works as an Associate Professor at the Shree Swaminarayan Arts College in Ahmedabad and serves as a member of the Prime Minister’s Museum & Library.
