Time machine inventors trying to go back to rewrite history: Hamid Ansari

New Delhi: In a politically significant message, former vice-president Hamid Ansari has said on Sunday that some “inventors” were trying to “rewrite” history, but they are not going to succeed as history cannot be changed. Dr Ansari was speaking at the launch of a book on India’s first PM Jawaharlal Nehru here.

“History is history. It has to be read. You can draw lessons from it, you can draw encouragement from it or you can just read it as a college student preparing for term examinations. History cannot be changed.” His comments assume significance as the NDA-led central government is often accused of rewriting history by the opposition parties.

Speaking at the same event, former President Pranab Mukherjee said comments and observations on Nehru could never come to an end. “The history of modern India is closely associated and rather integrated with a few personalities. Jawaharlal Nehru is one of them. It is not because he was the first Prime Minister or because, till today, he is the longest-serving Prime Minister of 17 years, from August 15, 1947 to May 27, 1964,” Mr Mukherjee said.

The book, edited by senior Congress leader A. Gopanna, was launched by Mr Mukherjee and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“Fifty-four years ago on this day, we lost him. It is because he is truly the architect of the modern, democratic setup in India,” Mr Mukherjee said.

Paying tribute to Pandit Nehru on his 54th death anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his monthly ‘Mann ki Baat’ radio address: “Today is May 27, the death anniversary of the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehruji. I render my pranam to Panditji. Memories of this month are also linked with Veer Savarkar.”