Perhaps no one has described Jawaharlal Nehru better than his daughter Indira Gandhi. In the words of the latter:
“No particular ideological doctrine could claim Jawaharlal Nehru for its own. Long days in jail were spent reading widely. He drew much from the thought of the East and West and from the philosophies of the past and the present. Never religious in the formal sense, yet he had a deep love for the culture and tradition of his own land. Never a rigid Marxist, yet he was deeply influenced by that theory and was particularly impressed by what he saw in the Soviet Union on his first visit in 1927. However, he realised that the world was too complex, and man had too many facets, to be encompassed by any single or total explanation. He himself was a socialist with an abhorrence of regimentation, and a democrat who was anxious to reconcile his faith in civil liberty with the necessity of mitigating economic and social wretchedness. His struggles, both within himself and with the outside world, to adjust such seeming contradictions are what make his life and work significant and fascinating.”
Indira Gandhi also once described her father as a “generous and gracious human being.” Indeed he was.
The book Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Second Series, Volume 29, edited by H.Y. Sharada Prasad and A.K. Damodaran, shows what a ‘generous and gracious human being’ Nehru was. The editors of this volume explain in their editorial note, “The present volume of the Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru draws upon the period 1 June to 31 August 1955 and attempts to record the major developments in the country’s domestic affairs and also its international relations. The involvement and the active participation in decision-making at all levels of the Prime Minister in many important issues gives to the narration a certain personal continuity reflected in the words and ideas of Jawaharlal Nehru…”
Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru: Second Series’, Volume 29: 1 June – 31 August 1955
Ed. H.Y. Sharada Prasad and A.K. Damodaran
OUP (December 2005)
Two separate cases are of permanent relevance, one about Irfan Habib, who later on became a distinguished historian at Aligarh Muslim University; and the second is a delightful story of a young Farooq Abdullah, who had just been admitted to the Medical College in Jaipur.
When the prime minister of a large country takes time off from affairs of state to look into possible cases of inadequate justice, there is hope for democracy. As far as Nehru was concerned, there’s always the fugitive chance that conversations from peak to peak at the global level might be interrupted by such “impulses of delight” and also, of compassion. As Wordsworth said, this is after all, “that best portion of a good man’s life, his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.”
Let us examine these cases.
Irfan Habib was sought to be denied a government scholarship because of his links with leftist groups. Nehru discussed the question thoroughly, understood the ideological dilemmas of the young man and finally came to the conclusion that he should be given the scholarship.
According to Habib, “he applied for a government scholarship to study abroad in 1954-55, but his passport was denied by the government of India because of his connections with the CPI”. He wrote a nasty letter to Nehru, asking him that in future whenever the government of India issues an advertisement for any scholarship there should be a caveat that “Communists need not to apply.”
Irfan Habib. Credit: Amber Habib
This letter created a furore in the PMO. Nehru enquired about this episode from then vice-chancellor of AMU, Zakir Husain. On Husain’s intervention, Habib was asked to meet Prime Minister Nehru.
According to the renowned author and jurist A.G. Noorani, Nehru met Habib. Note that he was not applying for a job in the government but for a scholarship for studying abroad. That Nehru conceded the request is, surely, less relevant than the fact that he felt impelled to write about the incident on August 12, 1955. (Nehru and Zakir Husain, incidentally, both were friends of Prof. Mohammed Habib, the scholar’s father and himself a leftist and a brilliant historian.) What Nehru wrote deserves quotation in extenso:
“Irfan Habib came to see me this morning and I had a talk with him. When you mentioned his case to me, you gave me the impression that while he was a young man of leftist sympathies and ideas, he was not a regular member of the Communist Party….
The purpose of giving a government scholarship is to train a person who might be of service to the State in some capacity or other in the future. If a person could not be relied upon to serve the State with discretion and integrity, then obviously this main purpose would not be served. No State could be expected to go out of its way to give scholarship to a person on whom it could not rely or who was likely to indulge in activities which were harmful to the State. I use the word ‘State’ in a broader sense and not as applicable to a particular government. Also, I realise that it is rather difficult to draw a hard and fast line. Anyhow, it is not a question of differing views, political or other, but rather of a basic faith in a person’s integrity.
My own experience of communists has been that it is exceedingly difficult to rely upon their word or on their basic integrity in this sense. Their loyalty to their party overrides all other loyalties and, therefore, they are often prepared to function in a way which cannot be reconciled with my standards of personal behaviour. Again, I repeat this is not a question of difference in idea. Personally, I have had no animosity against the communists at all but I have come to feel increasingly how out of date communist parties in non-communist countries are. As I told Irfan, they are like the Jesuits belonging to the strict order and not over-scrupulous in their dealings with others, provided they carry out the dictates of that order to whom they owe their basic loyalty. I see no reason why the Government should go out of its way to offer a scholarship to a person who is so tied up with an order of this kind, whether it is the communist party or some other.
I recognise, of course, that one must not judge young people too strictly and youthful enthusiasm must not be ignored… Anyhow, in the balance, I feel that we should decide in favour of Irfan Habib as a special case. My main reason for thinking so is that he is a young man of intelligence and, I believe, integrity and both these qualities will no doubt influence his future growth.”
Farooq Abdullah
In 1955, Farooq Abdullah in 1955 had been admitted to the Medical College in Jaipur and was apparently teased by fellow students as the ‘son of a traitor’ – the imprisoned Kashmiri leader Shaikh Abdullah, who was in jail for charges of treason and conspiracy against the state. Nehru took strong exception to this incident.
In a letter to Shri Tikaram Paliwal, a senior Congress leader in Rajasthan, Nehru urged him to take an interest in the young man. He had also heard that Farooq had been asked to share a room in a hostel near a cinema in the town. The prime minister specifically instructed his colleagues to see to it that he is allotted a single room, however small, in the Medical College’s own hostel on the campus.
In the letter, Nehru wrote:
“I am writing to you about Farooq Abdullah, the son of Shaikh Abdullah of Kashmir. I understand that Farooq has been admitted to the Jaipur Medical College. He had some difficulty in getting a place in a Medical College, and I am glad he has at last been admitted there.
Some people foolishly imagine that because we have had differences with Shaikh Abdullah, therefore we are not favourably inclined towards his son or his family. This, of course, is not only absurd but is just the reverse of how we feel. Personally, because Shaikh Abdullah is in prison, I feel rather a special responsibility that we should try to help his sons and family.
Farooq saw me the other day and, rather casually, he mentioned that some of the students of the Jaipur Medical College had referred rather insultingly to his father as a traitor etc. I was sorry to hear this. I suppose one cannot go about telling boys to behave, but tactfully one should try to create a different atmosphere. I am told that the Principal, (of Jaipur Medical College) Kasliwal, is trying to help Farooq. That is good. I am also told that Hiralal Shastri has promised to take some interest in Farooq.
There is one point, however, in which I would like you to interest yourself, if it is possible. This is about hostel accommodation. There are, I understand, two hostels attached to the Jaipur Medical College, one in the College compound itself and the other some distance away, near a cinema. At present, Farooq has been given a room, or perhaps he shares a room in the hostel near the cinema. Normally, first year students are sent there.
In all the circumstances, however, it would be better for him to be given accommodation in the hostel in the College compound itself. Also, that if possible he should be given a room by himself, however small the room might be. Living with other boys, who perhaps do not like him or make fun of him, would create difficulties. Farooq has obviously gone through a very difficult period during the last two years and, at his age, there is danger of his developing complexes and the like. If however, he has good work to do, proper living quarters and some friendly companionship, this would have a very good effect on him. I would, therefore, like you to interest yourself in this matter and have a talk with Kasliwal on the subject and see what can be done. You might also later see Farooq and tell him that he can come to you for any help. Keep in touch with him.”
There is another story about Farooq Abdullah’s admission to Jaipur Medical but it is totally off the record. Some people say it was Pandit Nehru who admitted Farooq there and bore all his educational expenses while he was there.
This was Jawaharlal Nehru’s humane face.
The two letters are reproduced in full below.
§
Pandit Nehru’s letter to Dr Zakir Husain
To Zakir Husain
New Delhi, August 12, 1955
My dear Zakir Husain,
Irfan Habib came to see me this morning and I had a talk with him. When you mentioned his case to me, you gave me the impression that while he was a young man of leftist sympathies and ideas, he was not a regular member of the Communist Party.
My own information was that he had been for some time past and was still a member of the Communist Party and had participated in a number of activities as such and through associated organisations. Also that some action had been taken against him by the University some time back. Irfan admitted all this.
I told him that there had never been any question of our coming in the way of his going abroad for study. The only question was whether he should be given a Government scholarship for this purpose. The purpose of giving Government scholarships is to train a person who might be of service to the State in some capacity or other in the future. If a person could not be relied upon to serve the State with discretion and integrity, then obviously this main purpose would not be served. No State could be expected to go out of its way to give a scholarship to a person on whom it could not rely or who was likely to indulge in activities which were harmful to the State. I use the word “State’’ in a broader sense and not as applicable to a particular government. Also, I realise that it is rather difficult to draw a hard and fast line. Anyhow, it is not a question of differing views, political or other, but rather of a basic faith in a person’s integrity. My own experience of communists has been that it is exceedingly difficult to rely upon their word or on their basic integrity in this sense.
Their loyalty to their party overrides all other loyalties and, therefore, they are prepared often to function in a way which cannot be reconciled with my standards of personal behaviour. Again, I repeat this is not a question of difference in idea.
Personally, I have had no animosity against the communists at all but I have come to feel increasingly how quite out of date communist parties in non-communist countries are. As I told Irfan, they are like the Jesuits belonging to the strict order and not over-scrupulous in their dealings with others, provided they carry out the dictates of that order to whom they owe their basic loyalty. I see no reason why Government should go out of its way to offer a scholarship to a person who is so tied up with an order of this kind, whether it is the communist party or some other.
I recognise, of course, that one must not judge young people too strictly and youthful enthusiasm must not be ignored. Probably, with some greater experience, one grows out of these immature grooves of thought and action. Anyhow, in the balance, I feel that we should decide in favour of Irfan Habib as a special case. My main reason for so thinking is that he is a young man of intelligence and, I believe, integrity and both these qualities will no doubt influence his future growth.
I am, therefore, advising the Education Ministry to give him the scholarship. Naturally, his future behaviour will be a consideration to be kept in mind.
Yours sincerely,
Jawaharlal Nehru
§
Pandit JL Nehru’s letter to Tikaram Paliwal
To Tikaram Paliwal
New Delhi 17 July 1955
My dear Tikaramji,
I am writing to you about Farooq Abdullah, the son of Shaikh Abdullah of Kashmir. I understand that Farooq has been admitted in the Jaipur Medical College. He had some difficulty in getting a place in a Medical College, and I am glad he has at last been admitted there.
Some people foolishly imagine that because we have had differences with Shaikh Abdullah, therefore we are not favourably inclined towards his son or his family. This, of course, is not only absurd but is just the reverse of how we feel. Personally, because Shaikh Abdullah is in prison, I feel rather a special responsibility that we should try to help his sons and family.
Farooq saw me the other day and, rather casually, he mentioned that some of the students of the Jaipur Medical College had referred rather insultingly to his father as a traitor etc. I was sorry to hear this. I suppose one cannot go about telling boys to behave, but tactfully one should try to create a different atmosphere. I am told that the Principal, Kasliwal, is trying to help Farooq. That is good. I am also told that Hiralal Shastri has promised to take some interest in Farooq.
There is one point however in which I should like you to interest yourself, if it is possible. This is about hostel accommodation. There are, I understand, two hostels attached to the Jaipur Medical College, one in the College compound itself and the other some distance away, near a cinema. At present, Farooq has been given a room, or perhaps he shares a room in the hostel near the cinema. Normally, first year students are sent there.
In all the circumstances, however, it would be better for him to be given accommodation in the hostel in the College compound itself. Also, that if possible he should be given a room by himself, however small the room might be. Living with other boys, who perhaps do not like him or make fun of him, would create difficulties. Farooq has obviously gone through a very difficult period during the last two years and, at his age, there is danger of his developing complexes and the like. If however he has good work to do, proper living quarters and some friendly companionship, this would have a very good effect on him.
I would, therefore, like you to interest yourself in this matter and have a talk with Kasliwal on the subject and see what can be done. You might also later see Farooq and tell him that he can come to you for any help. Keep in touch with him.
Yours sincerely,
Jawaharlal Nehru
The letters have been taken from the Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Second Series, Volume 29 (June 1, 1955–August 31, 1955), Page No. 121-122.
Qurban Ali is a tri-lingual journalist who has covered some of modern India’s major political, social, and economic developments. He has keenly followed India’s freedom struggle and is now documenting the history of the socialist movement in the country. He can be contacted at qurban100@gmail.com
