In its first official assertion, the tradition ministry mentioned in a collection of social media posts on Wednesday that Congress chief Sonia Gandhi eliminated “all of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s personal letters and notes” from the Prime Minister’s Museum and Library (then Nehru Memorial Museum and Library) in 2008, and that the PMML has been in contact together with her to retrieve the paperwork.
Union minister Gajendra Shekhwat mentioned on Wednesday that Sonia Gandhi had acknowledged in writing that “these paperwork belong to her” and promised to “co-operate” on the problem.
The Indian Categorical had reported the day before today that Sonia had pledged to cooperate with the PMML in its effort to acquire a trove of the primary prime minister’s personal paperwork. The truth is, that is the primary time that Sonia has responded to a name from PMML, following allegations that a big amount of paperwork in 51 cartons was taken away by her in 2008. Sonia informed them “her employees will examine,” the supply mentioned.
In response to a put up on X on Tuesday by which Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh had sought an apology from the federal government for earlier claims that the paperwork have been lacking, Shekhwat mentioned, “It might be higher to induce Sonia Gandhi to honor her promise and return these paperwork to the PMML” so that students, the general public and the Congress can entry these vital historic information and objectively confirm the reality of the “Nehruvian” period.
The PMML, an autonomous physique underneath the tradition ministry, had written to Congress leaders twice this yr in search of entry to those papers and different correspondence associated to Nehru.
The problem was extensively mentioned on the group’s final two annual common conferences (in 2024 and 2025), however that is the primary time the federal government has gone on document on the problem.
“Please see the letter dated April 29, 2008. Shri MV Rajan, consultant of Shri Sonia Gandhi, has requested Shri Gandhi to retrieve all private letters and notes of former Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru to his household,” Ministry X mentioned.
“Accordingly, in 2008, 51 cartons of Nehru paperwork have been despatched to Our Girl Sonia Gandhi. Since then, PMML has been in steady contact with the workplace of Our Girl Sonia Gandhi in search of return of those paperwork, together with letters from PMML to Our Girl Sonia Gandhi dated January 28, 2025 and July 3, 2025,” it mentioned.
“These paperwork referring to India’s first Prime Minister type a part of the nation’s documentary heritage and should not personal property. PMML’s preservation of the paperwork and their entry to the general public and students for research is of important significance,” the report mentioned.
In accordance with PMML information, these paperwork embody correspondence between Nehru and Jayaprakash Narayan, Edwina Mountbatten, Albert Einstein, Aruna Asaf Ali, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit and Jagjivan Ram.
Asking what the Gandhi household was hiding by preserving these paperwork, Mr. Shekhwat additionally sought clarification from Mr. Sonia on the problem.
The individuals want readability on why these paperwork haven’t been returned regardless of repeated reminders from PMML, the minister mentioned.
“On the one hand, we’re being requested to not focus on the failings of that period…Then again, main sources that will enable for an knowledgeable dialogue are refrained from public entry. This isn’t regular. Historical past can’t be selectively cherry-picked,” he mentioned.
