Nehru's letter to NaMo
Nehru's Non-Aligned
Nirvana, India
15th February 2026
Dear NaMo⚘️
Congratulations on clinching that hat-trick of terms! Three consecutive wins—truly a crown's triumph over the odds. As a fellow leader who once dreamed big, I tip my red rose to you. I, Jawaharlal Nehru, the original Tryst with Destiny dude, must applaud.
In my Discovery of India (1946, page 512, if you're fact-checking from the afterlife archives), I wrote poetically of India's ancient resilience: "India has endured through the ages... her spirit unbroken." Look at you, unbroken indeed—winning elections like I won hearts (or so they say). Thank you for carrying the torch.
But let's cut the confetti. I'm writing to express my profound displeasure at your endless trials of my legacy. You parade my failures like a Cricket trophy: poverty, partitions, China '62. Newsflash, Mr. PM your failures aren't mine. I inherited a subcontinent our colonial masters had razed to zero—looted £45 trillion (per Utsa Patnaik's math, not mine), divided like a bad divorce, with 80% illiterate and economy at 3% of global GDP. You inherited my homework and scribbled "Make in India" on it. Own it! From Glimpses of World History (1934, Letter to Indira, Vol. 1, p. 87), I told my darling daughter: "The British came as traders, stayed as rulers, and left us beggared." I built dams, factories, IITs—Bhakra Nangal, your favorite photo-op! Heavy industry from scratch.
Speaking of dreams deferred, mine was a nation based on equitable distribution of income. Utopian? Perhaps, but straight from my writings. In The Unity of India (1942, p. 45), I envisioned "a socialist pattern... where wealth is shared, not hoarded by princes or profiteers." Discovery waxes lyrical (Ch. 10, p. 412): "India's future lies in planned economy, ending the exploitation of the many by the few." We had land reforms, abolishing zamindari (affecting 20 million tenants), public sector giants like SAIL producing 90% of steel by 1980. Alas, my utopian ideal couldn't survive long—thanks to folks like your ideological forebears whispering "permit raj" nightmares. But you, Mr PM? Viksit Bharat with billionaires blooming like lotuses! Your PLI schemes funneled ₹2 lakh crore subsidies to corporates (Economic Survey 2023), while 23 crore still toil below ₹100/day (NSSO 2022).
But my unfortunate came from my own party. It gives me immense pain—nay, existential heartburn—when my own party nominated MMS for PMship. Manmohan Singh, the turbaned terminator of my socialism! In 1991, as Finance Minister, he liberalized everything. My Economic Programme speech (1948) promised "state ownership of key industries"—he privatized them! From Glimpses (Vol. 2, p. 567), I warned against "capitalist greed devouring the masses." MMS buried it in the cemetery of LPG reforms—GDP boomed to 8%, but inequality spiked Gini from 0.32 (my era) to 0.38 (his). Congress betrayal? Peak irony.
Ad seriatem reply to your allegations
Exhibit A: Non-Alignment vs. Your Axis Shenanigans.
My Discovery (p. 289) gushes: "India must steer clear of power blocs, a bridge between East and West." Glimpses (p. 912) to Indira: "Peace through neutrality, not alliances." Korea '51, Suez '56—I mediated, UN darling. You? Quad with US-Japan-Australia (2021 reboot), Rafale jets from France, S-400 from Russia—hedging like a Vegas gambler. China border brawl '20? My forward policy was "oops," but your Galwan silence (1,200 sq km lost per intel reports) is the real forward retreat. Blame me? I at least signed Panchsheel!
Exhibit B: Secularism vs. Your Saffron Symphony.
Discovery (Ch. 8, p. 234): "India's syncretic soul Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, one." Article 25-30 Constitution (my handiwork) enshrined it. "Communalism is India's poison." My Tricolour weeps rainbow tears.
Exhibit C: Economy—Planning vs. Your curated Populism
My New India (1946, p. 112): "Five-Year Plans to industrialize equitably." We hit 3.5% growth (Hindu rate, you mock), but literacy from 18% to 28%, life expectancy 32 to 45 years. Your 8% blitz? Demonetization GDP dip 2% (2017), GST chaos (revenue short ₹2.75 lakh crore, 2020), farm laws (2020) sparking year-long protests—repealed in humiliation. Discovery (p. 501): "Agriculture first." You export wheat while 20 crore go hungry. Unemployment 8.1% youth.
Exhibit D: Women & Social Justice vs. Your Beti-Bachao Backslide
Glimpses (Vol. 3, p. 234): "Women's emancipation is revolution's core." I gave Hindu Code Bills (1955-56), ending polygamy. You? Beti Bachao launches (2015), yet sex ratio dips to 918 girls/1000 boys (NFHS-5), NCRB rapes up 20% post-2014. Triple Talaq banned (2019)—good!—but Manipur horrors (2023, ethnic clashes displacing 60k women) ignored. Equitable?
Exhibit E: Environment—My Dams vs. Your Disasters
Discovery (p. 378): "Harness rivers for people's good." Bhakra, Hirakud—green power. Your Adani coal spree: 50 GW thermal added (2020-24), Godavarman case violations galore. Delhi AQI 500+ winters—my pollution?
Exhibit F: Foreign Policy Flubs—Kashmir to Kumbh
My UN plebiscite promise (1948)? Messy, but Glimpses (p. 789): "Self-determination sacred." You abrogated 370 (2019), won hearts maybe, but Pakistan proxy wars rage (26/11 echoes in Pulwama). Balakot strikes? Theatrics sans proof. Mr. PM, my writings scream vision; your actions? Soundbites. Discovery ends (p. 595): "India awake!" You're awake alright—tweeting at 3 AM. But wealth gap wider than Arabian Sea, jobs scarcer than Gandhian ethics in polls.
Mr. PM whatever it be, I must confess a certain irritation at BJP's bombastic summoning style, all thunder and little substance, yet on the grave matters of UGC guidelines and the scourge of caste violence tearing at our nation's fabric, I stand absolved—those tempests brewed long after my time.
It pleases me no end that no finger of blame can point my way for such failures. Still, should they drag me into the fray and charge me with lapses along caste lines, ah, what delight I would take in watching peace shatter amid the uproar! Fix it, or history's jury (me presiding) convicts.
Thanking you dear
Yours sincerely
Jawaharlal Nehru
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