Nehru doesn't need certificate from Rijiju: Gogoi

India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru does not need a certificate from union minister Kiren Rijiju, who has made no contribution to even his own state Arunachal Pradesh, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said on Sunday.

The union minister of state for home affairs had, while addressing a function at Hyderabad on Saturday, said Nehru had let the people of the northeastern region down during the 1962 India-China war.

Gogoi asked Rijiju to stop unleashing false propaganda about the first prime minister.

"Jawaharlal Nehru did not surrender the country at the time of Chinese aggression as made out by Rijiju. Nehru did not let the people down and was with them during that critical juncture.

"Does Nehru, who was a patriot to the core and a staunch nationalist, require a certificate from Rijiju, who is a turncoat with no contribution to the development of his own state," Gogoi asked.

He said Rijiju must keep in mind that it was during the Congress rule that Arunachal Pradesh came into being and a slew of developmental activities were carried out.

"It was during the Congress regime that the state of Arunachal Pradesh was carved out and the state marched on the path of progress and prosperity. What did the previous NDA regime do for Arunachal Pradesh? Even how many ministers of the present dispensation at the Centre have visited Arunachal Pradesh and more importantly contributed towards its development," he wondered.

Gogoi asked Rijiju to desist from spreading canards against Nehru and to concentrate on his immediate task which was to contain the divisive forces that threaten to tear the social fabric.

"Rijiju, who has his task cut out against the backdrop of growing intolerance, must focus on containing the divisive forces and not on rewriting history," Gogoi said.