Himalayan Blunders by Jawaharlal Nehru that damage India to at the present time

132 years since his start, Nehru nonetheless stays a pertinent, contentious, and ceaselessly talked about determine in modern Indian politics.
The following are a few of Nehru’s failures as Prime Minister, the implications of which India suffers to this very day.
Created the Kashmir difficulty
After the partition, Pakistan launched a tribal militia assault to annex Kashmir. While the Indian military was on observe to take away the Pakistaniinvaders out of the whole territory of Kashmir, Nehru, ignoring all native recommendation, approached the United Nations. He thus managed to grab defeat from the jaws of victory. Pakistan continues to say that the actual fact that Nehru had made a reference to the UN signifies that Kashmir is a disputed territory. The matter stays unresolved and is the reason for appreciable bloodshed to at the present time.
Rejected a everlasting seat on the UN
Nehru rejected the affords from the US and the Soviet Union to switch China on the UN Security Council to keep away from battle with China. Having a everlasting UN seat would have elevated India’s international standing. The incontrovertible fact that it was supplied with none compromise however rejected makes this a catastrophic blunder. Nehru’s aim of cordial relations with China stays unachieved to at the present time.
Presided over the disastrous Sino-Indian battle
Classified paperwork reveal that Nehru’s friendship with China obtained no reciprocity. China referred to Nehru as a “lackey” of the British and the Americans and used disparaging language in opposition to India on the UN. Nehru misinterpret China’s intentions and didn’t anticipate Mao to invade India in 1962.
Worst, he additionally allowed his faulty assumption to have an effect on India’s protection preparedness violating a easy life precept of hoping for the very best however getting ready for the worst. Over 3,250 Indian troopers have been killed. India misplaced about 43,000 sq. kilometers of land, captured by China in Aksai Chin. China continues to be a major problem for India.
Failure to encourage, promote and implement common major training
While institutes such because the IIT and IIM have been based throughout his tenure, Nehru didn’t make common literacy and mass training a precedence. This is astounding contemplating there was widespread illiteracy throughout the nation at the moment. The lack of training typically is an obstacle to upward mobility each economically and socially. His biographer Judith Brown calls this his greatest failure.
Favoured Socialism as a substitute of free-market Capitalism.
Traditionally, India was all the time a free-market financial system, constructed on commerce and personal enterprise.
However, Nehru famously stated that ‘profit is a dirty word’. Nehru adopted the Soviet mannequin of financial insurance policies the place the state ran companies similar to industries to resorts. Taxes have been excessive to make sure that common residents had minimal wealth and have been depending on the state. The spirit of entrepreneurship was discouraged.
These insurance policies widened the revenue inequality and facilitated crony capitalism. They have been additionally liable for poisoning the minds of normal Indians to assume entrepreneurs have been immoral. It additionally brought about the vilification of wealth and success. Despite financial liberalization, this mindset that prevails to at the present time.
Led the ill-conceived Non-Aligned Movement
When the Cold War was at its peak, the US actively sought allies in Asia. They reached out to India who rejected the thought. Nehru as a substitute developed an impractical coverage of neutrality in direction of the warring superpowers of the US and USSR. By 1961, Nehru helped within the institution of the Non-Aligned Movement.
The US then allied with Pakistan, an unholy alliance that continues to be sturdy to at the present time. India then had no selection however to ally with the USSR, defeating the aim of the Non Aligned motion and hurting Indo-US relationsfor many years.
Rejected Nepal’s provide to affix India
Nehru rejected Nepal’s King Bikram Shah’s provide of constructing Nepal a province of India. Nehru’s floor for rejection was that Nepal was anindependent nation and should stay so.
Rejected Balochistan’s provide to affix India
Nehru additionally rejected a proposal from the “King” or Khan of Kalat, Mir Ahmadyar Khan for Balochistan to accede to India. Once once more Nehru didn’t comprehend the strategic significance of Balochistan which continues to face extreme human rights violations beneath Pakistan.
Refusal To Enter Nuclear Deal
Nehru rejected a US provide of serving to India with the event of a nuclear machine in 1964 maybe as a result of he was a proponent ofnon-violence. If Nehru had accepted the provide, India would have been the primary to check a nuclear machine in Asia. It would have deterred China from launching its battle of 1962 and even imparted a notice of warning to Pakistan’s plans for battle in 1965.
Curbed journalistic freedom and freedom of expression
Despite being perceived as a liberal democrat, Nehru didn’t all the time persist with these ideas. Back in 1950, the Indian structure assured its residents “the right to freedom of speech and expression”. Nehru confronted intense criticism from the RSS-backed newspaper the Organizer for proposing confidence-building measures with Pakistan when Hindus have been being massacred. The article acknowledged that “the villainy of Pakistan is matched only by our idiocy”.
An indignant and infuriated Nehru led the primary modification to the Constitution with an intent to clamp down voices similar to Organizer whowere important of the federal government. He additionally ended up limiting freedom of expression, the modification was by no means undone and was misused by successive governments.
Toppled democratically elected Kerala authorities
The INC in alliance with varied reactionary forces orchestrated the ‘Vimochana Samaram’ (liberation wrestle) in opposition to the primary elected state authorities in Kerala led by EMS Namboodiripad that got here to energy in 1957.
In time, Kerala was rocked by mass protests, which have been under no circumstances natural, calling for the resignation of the communist ministry. When the protest reached its peak, the Centre dismissed the Kerala authorities in 1959. It is alleged that then US intelligence that was staunchly anti-communist at the moment had actively contributed to the Congress occasion’s technique to destabilise the Kerala authorities.
Despite claims of being a liberal democrat, Nehru noticed no folly in colluding with overseas powers to that intervene in India’s democracy.
Ignored Corruption
Nehru typically turned a blind eye to corruption when the culprits have been his allies. Krishna Menon, recognized to be near Nehru, was concerned within the notorious Jeep Scam in 1948. A number of years later there was the LIC-Mundhra Scam which was raised by Nehru’s son-in-law and Congress MP Feroze Gandhi in parliament. Finally, there was the Cycle Import Scam.
Indifference in direction of Goa
After India attained independence in 1947, Nehru requested Portugal to peacefully half with the state of Goa, Portugal clearly refused. Subsequently, as he all the time did, Nehru approached the UN with the identical request, however the Portuguese refused once more.
Finally, in 1961, the Indian military seized management of Goa after the Portuguese fired at Indian fishing boats, killing one fisherman. After 36 hours of air, sea, and land strikes the Portuguese surrendered Goa again to India. This motion ought to have been taken a lot earlier than. Nehru’s dithering therefore brought about Goans to attend for 14 years to realize freedom.
Clung to Power for too lengthy
Nehru’s biographer Judith Brown stated he ought to have give up energy in the course of the Fifties after being PM for a decade. But like many politicians who don’t notice that they’ve handed their prime, Nehru continued for a lot too lengthy, a lot to the detriment of the nation.
Perhaps a sharper youthful chief would have been in a position to take care of China extra assertively and the result of the Sino-India battle would have been totally different.
In Conclusion
Nehru unwisely rejected myriad apparent affords similar to a everlasting UN Seat, Nuke Assistance from the US, and affords of Nepal and Baluchistan to affix India. His failure to steer academic and financial empowerment served as impediments to upward mobility for normal Indians.
His tendency to dither and consult with the UN continues to value Kashmir dearly and delayed Goan independence. He ignored corruption. He was additionally staunchly undemocratic when he suffered electoral rejection or criticism.
The nation continues to endure because of his myriad blunders.