interview
On Nehru's Cult-Like Personality — In Conversation With Zareer Masani
2019
Summary
In conversation, Zareer Masani argues that Jawaharlal Nehru began his premiership in a democratic, parliamentary spirit that accepted opponents, but that a cult of personality increasingly set in. He points to Nehru's residence in a grand palatial house, formerly the British Commander-in-Chief's and second only to the Viceroy's house, now the Nehru Museum and Library, where Nehru held state banquets and ran what Masani calls a Mughal-style imperial court, with Indira acting as consort and secretaries controlling access to him.
Masani describes a growing dynastic tendency: Nehru's sister received plum diplomatic postings, including president of the UN General Assembly, High Commissioner in London, and ambassador in Moscow and Washington, while his daughter Indira, as her marriage to Feroz Gandhi fell apart, kept house for him and moved into politics, becoming Congress President in 1959 while he was Prime Minister. Nehru insisted the Congress Working Committee had simply chosen the best candidate, but Masani contrasts this with Nehru's grandfather barring his own son from a university benefit, arguing that Nehru's silence made it look as though he was promoting Indira as his heir amid succession anxieties over 'after Nehru who'.
Key points
- Nehru began his premiership accepting parliamentary opponents but increasingly developed a cult of personality.
- He lived in a grand palatial former British Commander-in-Chief's residence, now the Nehru Museum and Library.
- Masani likens Nehru's household to a Mughal-style imperial court with state banquets and controlled access.
- Nehru's sister received top diplomatic postings, including president of the UN General Assembly and ambassadorships in London, Moscow and Washington.
- Indira Gandhi kept house for her father as her marriage to Feroz Gandhi fell apart, then entered politics.
- Indira became Congress President in 1959 while Nehru was Prime Minister.
- Nehru claimed the Congress Working Committee had chosen the best candidate and it was nothing to do with him.
- Masani argues Nehru's silence made it look as though he was positioning Indira as his heir amid 'after Nehru who' anxieties.
Transcript
On Nehru’s Cult Like Personality- In Conversation With Zareer Masani
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4TGGIPeVQY Duration: 206.7s
Speaker 1 (00:00): Nehru started out being much more democratic and parliamentary in a British way. Then he ended up. So the Nehru Premiership was initially very sort of accepting of parliamentary opponents and so on. But increasingly the cult of personality set in.
Speaker 2 (00:28): And, you know, Nehru lived in this grand palatial house, which had been the residence of the British commander in chief. It was second only to the Viceroy’s house, which became Rashopati Bhavan. And as we know now, it’s the Nehru Museum and library. And it’s a huge, you know, as big as any of the old princely palaces. And it became a way of Nehru establishing a Mughal style court there with Indira being his kind of consort and controlling access to him. And, you know, a small army of secretaries who were also controlling access to him. And so you had to go through all these people to reach him. And of course he held grand banquets, state banquets there for visiting dignitaries. And it was very much like an imperial court.
Speaker 1 (01:29): And that, I think, went to his head.
Speaker 2 (01:33): He became much more dynastic too, because both his sister and his daughter were very close to him. And his sister got very plump diplomatic postings. She was not interested particularly in being in Indian politics. So she went first as president of the UN General Assembly and leader of the Indian delegation to the UN, then High Commissioner in London, then Ambassador in Moscow and then in Washington.
Speaker 1 (02:03): So she had all the top diplomatic posts.
Speaker 2 (02:07): His daughter increasingly as her marriage with Feroz Gandhi fell apart, lived with her father, kept house for him. Initially, you know, became the channel of communication, but then increasingly went into politics on her own behalf. and she became Congress President as we know in 1959 when Nehru was Prime Minister. So it was a bit odd to have a father-daughter and Nehru maintained it was nothing to do with him that the Congress Working Committee had chosen the best candidate and that was it. But nevertheless he could have said, you know, comparing it with my grandfather forbidding my father to receive examination papers to Mark from Bombay University when he had become head of it saying my family should get no benefits. I mean Nehru could have been much more, you know, said not in my lifetime. I mean making my daughter party president when I’m prime minister looks to the whole
Speaker 1 (03:13): world looks as though I’m promoting her as my heir. And already Nehru’s health was declining and people were saying after Nehru who. So that positioned her in the succession race.
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