BJP, Congress Trade Barbs Over Nehru's Papers; Union Minister Asks Sonia Gandhi To Return 51 Cartons To PM Museum

The Congress and the ruling BJP are at loggerheads over a fresh controversy involving personal letters and documents related to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The controversy erupted after BJP MP Sambit Patra asked in Parliament whether Nehru's letters were missing from the Prime Minister's Museum and Library.

This lead to a heated exchange between the BJP and the Congress on Wednesday. In a written reply to the question, Union Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat clarified that Nehru's letters are not missing, but lie with Sonia Gandhi.

Following this, the Congress party created a ruckus in the Lok Sabha. The government has now asked the Congress party to return these documents, calling them national heritage.

Congress slams govenment 

As soon as Shekhawat gave the written answer, Congress targeted the central government and demanded an apology. The Congress alleged that the government had previously spread rumors about the disappearance, but the government bluntly stated that the facts were being distorted and that the country should be told the truth.

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According to government data, on April 29, 2008, Sonia Gandhi's representative requested the return of Nehru's personal family letters and notes in a letter. Shortly thereafter, the government handed over 51 cartons of personal papers to Sonia Gandhi.

The ministry stated that PMML maintained constant communication with Sonia Gandhi's office regarding the return of these documents, including letters sent in January and July 2025.

Shekhawat took the issue to social media with a post on X. He wrote that Nehru's documents are not missing; their location is known. Shekhawat urged Sonia Gandhi to clarify what is being hidden and why such important historical documents have not been returned to public archives.

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He further stated that these are not private family papers, but part of the national heritage, and access to them is essential for researchers.