New Delhi

The Congress on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of attempting to “distort, defame and denigrate” India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, asserting that his contributions to modern India cannot be erased.

On Nehru’s 62nd death anniversary, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said Nehru’s relevance continues to grow as the impact of the Modi government’s policies becomes increasingly evident.

In a post on X, Ramesh said Nehru remains a towering historical figure whose legacy continues to be studied, analysed, criticised and appreciated.

“However, what is truly pathological is the current prime minister's ongoing denial of Nehru's monumental contributions, along with a persistent and diabolical effort to distort, defame and denigrate him,” he said.

Ramesh asserted that Nehru played a decisive and democratic role in shaping modern India and laid the foundation for the country’s scientific and technological advancement through his emphasis on developing a scientific temper.

He further alleged that the growing visibility of the “damage” caused to the polity, society and economy under the current regime has made Nehru’s legacy more relevant, which he said was the source of the prime minister’s discomfort.

The Congress also paid tributes to Nehru on the occasion, with Rahul Gandhi saying the visionary leadership of India’s first prime minister would continue to inspire future generations.

Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge offered floral tributes at Nehru’s memorial, Shanti Van.

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Nehru, India’s first and longest-serving prime minister, died in office in 1964 at the age of 74.