Jairam Ramesh Hands Rajnath Singh Pages From Maniben Patel’s Diary, Sparks Stir in Parliament

According to eyewitnesses, Ramesh approached the Defence Minister during a pause in proceedings and offered him photocopied extracts from Maniben Patel’s handwritten notes, originally recorded in Gujarati. While handing over the pages, Ramesh urged Singh to read them carefully, asserting that the content contradicted certain claims the Minister had previously made about former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Ramesh remarked that the statements Singh attributed to Nehru did not find support in Maniben’s diary entries, which are often cited by historians studying internal dynamics of the early years of India’s independence.

The exchange quickly reverberated through the Parliament, with several MPs pausing ongoing discussions to take note of the interaction. Although the Defence Minister accepted the documents without immediate comment, the gesture added a fresh layer to the ongoing political debate surrounding the legacy of India’s founding leaders and the interpretations that continue to shape national discourse.

As deliberations resumed, the incident underscored how historical records—particularly those penned by figures closely associated with India’s freedom movement—remain potent instruments in contemporary political argument. It also highlighted the continued contestation over narratives involving Nehru and Patel, whose relationship and contributions often emerge at the center of ideological clashes in Parliament.