Good that Congress is reconciling with historical facts: Jitender Singh

Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitender Singh on Monday said that it is a god sign that the Congress Party is reconciling with historical facts related to Jammu and Kashmir, China and Tibet.

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Responding to an article appearing in the Congress mouthpiece Sandesh that lauds the contributions of Sardar Patel and blames India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for the state of affairs in Kashmir, China and Tibet, Singh told ANI, "Many of Nehru's contemporaries have mentioned that course of events in Jammu and Kashmir would have been different , had it been left to Sardar Patel. This is a well evident view based on facts. I think we cannot negate facts of history. Jammu and Kashmir was the only part Nehru kept with himself, rest of them was kept with Sardar Patel. I think it is good for them (congress) that they are reconciling to the facts of history."

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"This is a view not only held inside the BJP, but also outside of the BJP over the last half-a-century or so. It is a well known fact that Sardar Patel as Home Minister was dealing with the princely states, but then, Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru believed he knew Jammu and Kashmir better, and therefore, he was in better position to handle it, and therefore, he kept it to himself," he added.

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"It had been pointed out to him (Nehru ) even at that time, as far as the BJP or then Jan Sangh is concerned. Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherji had time and again tried to bring it to the notice of Panditji that his Kashmir approach was flawed, but Panditji never paid much heed and try to reassure Mukherjee that everything will fall into place with the passage of time," said Singh

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The article published has been written and published by the party's Mumbai unit and has caused a stir within the rank and file. It clearly blames Nehru for the state of affairs in Kashmir, China and Tibet and states that Nehru should have listened to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's views on international affairs.

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The article, which does not reveal the name of the writer, has been published in this month's issue of 'Congress Darshan' Hindi edition as a tribute piece to mark Patel's death anniversary on December 15.

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"Despite Patel getting the post of deputy prime minister and home minister, relations between the two leaders remained strained, and both had threatened to resign time and again," the article says.