Instead of authoring 'fraudulent' pieces on Nehru, focus on rectifying legal system: Congress to Kiren Rijiju

The Congress on Tuesday slammed Union Minister Kiren Rijiju for his fresh attack on Jawaharlal Nehru, saying that instead of wasting time authoring "fraudulent" pieces on the country's first prime minister, he should focus on rectifying a legal system that frees those convicted of murder and gang rape. Rijiju mounted a fresh attack on Nehru on the Kashmir issue on Monday, claiming that he moved the United Nations under the wrong Article after Pakistan's invasion, thereby making it a party to the dispute instead of an aggressor.

"Instead of wasting his time 'authoring' fraudulent pieces on Nehru to please MoDistorter, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju should focus on rectifying a legal system that frees those convicted of murder and gang rape," Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said making an apparent reference to the release of convicts in the Bilkis Bano gang rape case.

"He should be more anguished by these than defaming Nehru!" Ramesh said on Twitter.


In his comments on Twitter and in an opinion piece for a media portal, Rijiju also said Nehru let the "myth" of a UN-mandated plebiscite perpetuate and created the "divisive" Article 370 of the Constitution. "Nehru rejected Maharaja Hari Singh's plea to accede to India not just once but thrice," he said.

The fresh attack on Nehru came on his birth anniversary.

Last month, Rijiju had written an article citing "five Nehruvian blunders", including floating the idea of a plebiscite and terming Jammu and Kashmir's accession provisional.

The minister had said it was important to realise past mistakes to build a new future and added he has not tweaked history but stated facts to set the record straight.

Reacting to that criticism, the Congress had demanded an apology from Rijiju over his criticism of Nehru's handling of the Kashmir issue and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rein in ministers from making "irresponsible statements".