Important for youth to know Nehru, some powers misleading them: Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said that it is necessary to inform the younger generation about former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru but some "powers" do not believe in democracy and are misleading the youth through social media.

"Unfortunately there are people in the country who do not even know who Pandit Nehru was. He was such a personality that those who want to destroy his legacy will get destroyed themselves. Pandit Nehru's work and his personality will always be immortal," Gehlot said.

Speaking to reporters after a programme organised on Children's Day, he said it is important that the new generation learn about Nehru.

"Government will do the work so that the coming generations can understand history in the right perspective and assimilate it. If you know wrong history, then you don't know what the picture will be of the country after 25 years," he said, referring to the announcement on the formation of Bal Sahitya Akademi in Rajasthan.

"Powers that do not believe in democracy are misleading the young generation through social media. Misleading via social media is a major crime. But I hope from now on you will see that a new environment will be formed and the new generation will understand who Pandit Nehru really was," he added.

In response to a question, the Congress leader said people in the BJP and the RSS know that if they attack Pandit Nehru then it will be an attack on Congress's legacy in the country.

Gehlot said Nehru was a great figure.

"Today, events are happening everywhere. Pandit Nehru was imprisoned for nearly 10 years in the freedom struggle. He liberated the country and became the first Prime Minister of the country. He ruled the country for 17 years," he said.

Nehru's birthday is celebrated as Children's Day. He was born on this day in 1889 in Allahabad.