Nehru’s Controversial Decisions

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Nehru’s Controversial Decisions

There are many ways to examine Jawaharlal Nehru’s contribution as Prime Minister. Most accusations against Nehru, India's first Prime Minister, revolve around six controversial decisions or actions. Critics typically point to the following six areas in different ways:

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 Nehru



  • The Kashmir Issue (1947).
  • Policy on China and the War of 1962.
  • The Non-Alignment Movement (NAM).
  • The Economic Policies and License Raj.
  • Hindu Code Bill.
  • The handling of Goa liberation.
These issues provide a constant ground for debate among individuals with differing opinions on their long-term effects on India’s development and international reputation.

Kashmir Issue (1947)

  • Controversy: Nehru’s approach towards the Kashmir issue has always been controversial in every sense of it. Some people criticize his decision to go to the U.N. and agree to any plebiscite ever held and leave it open to contention, which complicated it more than ever before.
  • Impact: Still, Kashmir remains the main source of conflict between India and Pakistan resulting in many wars as well as tension in the area.
China Policy and the 1962 War
  • Controversies: Nehru’s policy towards China, which aimed at maintaining amicable relations as encapsulated in the slogan “Hindi-Chini Bhai-Bhai” boomeranged when China invaded India in 1962. His inability to foresee the conflict and the subsequent military debacle left behind a profound mark on Indian national psychology.
  • Impact: War laid bare India’s unpreparedness resulting in reappraisal of its defense policies and an enduring distrust between India and China.
Non-Alignment Movement (NAM)
  • Controversy: The founding of the Non-Alignment Movement during the Cold War by Nehru might be argued to have been aimed at maintaining Indian independence from US-Soviet rivalry. However, some critics believe that it often left India isolated in international politics and limited its power.
  • Impact: Despite being seen as one of the pioneers among newly independent countries through NAM, India was denied serious political partnerships which could otherwise have made her stronger within international relations.
Economic Policies with License Raj at its Center
  • Controversy: Nehru has been criticized for his adoption of a socialist economic model emphasizing state-controlled industries while the infamous License Raj has stifled private entrepreneurship and innovation. It is these policies that have been blamed for India’s slow economic growth after independence.
  • Impact: Inefficiency along with corruption was responsible to the extent that India’s economic development was greatly hampered until liberalization reforms were introduced in the 1990s.
Hindu Code Bill
  • Controversy: In the 1950s, Nehru’s push for making the Hindu Code Bill aimed at reforming Hindu personal law through codification and making it more progressive. Nevertheless, it attracted strong opposition from conservatives who viewed this as interference in religious matters.
  • Impact: Although the bill did make significant reforms like granting women rights to divorce and inheritance of property, the backlash it received brought out challenges of implementing social reform in a deeply religious society.
Partition of India (1947): Nehru’s involvement in India’s partition and the formation of Pakistan is still a matter of debate. Opponents believe that the rushed partition proposition brought forth a large number of atrocities, an exodus of people, and a hardened communal feud which still exists to date.

Socialism and Industrialization: This has been one of the areas where Nehru’s attention was to building a socialist-oriented state-controlled economy that is focused on large-scale industrialization. The objective was suffering on individualism it often resulted in ineptitude, bribery, and sluggish development, affecting India’s growth path.

The Princely States can be managed under the following approaches: Nehru’s approach towards integration of princely states particularly about the handling of the Hyderabad crisis and granting of special status to Jammu & Kashmir under Article 370 has earned him criticism for contributing to regional instability.

Education and Language Policy: Nehru’s education policies especially his promotion of the English language as well as the imposition of Hindi as the official language gave rise to regional and linguistic tensions, especially in the southern part of India where anti-Hindi movements gained ground.

Panchsheel Agreement with China (1954): Critics claim that the Panchsheel Agreement, which describes five principles of peaceful coexistence between India and China, was a diplomatic disaster that lulled India into a false sense of security before the 1962 war.

Family Legacy: Nehru’s advancement of his daughter Indira Gandhi within the Indian National Congress has been often cited as laying the foundation stones for dynastic politics in India, having far-reaching consequences on the country’s democratic institutions.

Nehru’s multifaceted legacy is reflected in these choices, which often consisted of his beliefs on a secular India, a socialist one, and an industrialized version of it that contradicted with governance, local intricacies as well as global geopolitics. His role in Indian independence and early growth is easily acknowledged by many but there remains debate on whether his controversial decisions made any long-term impact or not.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the controversial decisions made by Jawaharlal Nehru?

Some of the most controversial decisions made by Jawaharlal Nehru include the Kashmir conflict, the Sino-Indian War of 1962, economic policies emphasizing state control, and the partition of India.

What about Nehru’s management of the Kashmir controversy makes it contentious?

Nehru’s decision to refer the Kashmir problem to the United Nations in 1948 and his assurance of a plebiscite has been slammed by certain quarters for contributing to an enduring conflict between India and Pakistan. Detractors contend that this internationalization complicated India’s resolve to solve the matter bilaterally.

What was the controversy surrounding Nehru's role in the 1962 Sino-Indian War?

Nehru's foreign policy, particularly the "Hindi-Chini Bhai-Bhai" approach to China, has been criticized in light of the 1962 Sino-Indian War. The unpreparedness of the Indian military and the misjudgment of China's intentions led to a humiliating defeat for India, which damaged Nehru's reputation.

How did Nehru's economic policies spark controversy?

Nehru's economic policies focused on central planning and state control over key industries. While they aimed to build a self-reliant economy, these policies are criticized for leading to inefficiencies, slow growth, and the "License Raj" system, which stifled entrepreneurship.

Did Nehru's involvement in the Partition of India face any criticism?

Due to the rushed approach that resulted in mass dislocation, communal conflict, and continued enmity between India and Pakistan, Nehru’s involvement in the Partition of India is disputed. Some people feel that Nehru and Congress leadership could have acted more proactively to prevent it from happening

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