NEW DELHI: The government on Thursday sought to allay fears expressed by some members of the Nehru Memorial Museum & Library (NMML) Society, including senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge , that the proposed museum for all Prime Ministers of India within the NMML Complex would dilute Jawaharlal Nehru 's legacy and clarified that additional responsibility of administrating over the new structure would lie with NMML.

Though a proposal to amend the memorandum of association (MoA) to bring clarity to NMML’s role was put up at the annual general body meeting chaired by home minister Rajnath Singh , objections raised by Congress members including Kharge and Jairam Ramesh led Singh to direct recirculation of the concept note for the ex-PM’s memorial seeking comments over the next one month. The home minister, who insisted on ‘consensus’, said NMML Society could meet again once the comments were in. Additional responsibility of administering over the new structure would be given to NMML after the MoA is amended.

The other attendees at Thursday's AGM included culture minister Mahesh Sharma, senior Congress leader Karan Singh, minister of state for external affairs M J Akbar, NMML director Shakti Sinha and NITI Aayog member Bibek Debroy.

During the meeting, the Congress members reiterated their objection to the proposal to expand NMML’s ambit to include showcasing of works and legacy of all Indian PMs in addition to Nehru, arguing that it would dilute the latter's legacy and go beyond the NMML's mandate as outlined in the MoA. Kharge reportedly insisted that the very nomenclature of NMML may be changed if the complex at Teen Murti was to showcase the legacy of all Prime Ministers. Government representatives, however, confirmed there would be no change in NMML’s name.

They also sought to reassure Congress representatives that not only would the PMs' memorial be separate from the existing Nehru memorial and library building, but also that the façade of the complex would remain unchanged with the new museum proposed to be built behind the existing structure. “The NMML premises span over a 25-acre estate. The existing memorial/library building occupies just half an acre. There is enough space within the complex to house the new museum dedicated to all Indian PMs,” NMML director Shakti Sinha told TOI after the meeting.

The Congress leaders in NMML Society have been insisting on the government constructing the memorial for ex-PMs other than Nehru at a site away from NMML complex. However, the government has refused to negotiate on this, saying that that a modern, futuristic museum on all Indian PMs would only come up on NMML premises. “This would not affect the existing Nehru memorial structure, where modernisation work is already being undertaken. In fact, the Congress members were told that while the government was within its rights to add the new building to NMML complex, which stands on government of India land, without taking approval of the society. All that was needed was to create a separate society to administer the new building. But the government prefers to go by consensus,” said an officer.

As per the concept note for the proposed museum for Prime Ministers, for which Rs 270 crore have already been sanctioned, its prime objective is to broaden a better understanding of India's democratic ethos, create curiosity about the office and personality of PMs among the visitors and public at large. The content at the museum would be displayed in both traditional and digital forms.

