Earlier this month, a book on British-era civil servant V.P. Menon made headlines for days. V.P. Menon: The Unsung Architect of Modern India claimed that Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of the country, did not want Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first home minister, in his cabinet.
Bhakts unfollowing me at the speed of light as they discover I'm not a bhakt at all is the best part of my recent Twitter life 😂
— Narayani Basu (@narayani_basu) February 28, 2020
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar was among those who talked about the book. Jaishankar released the book at a function and tweeted that he had "learned" Nehru wanted to keep Sardar Patel out of the first cabinet. Historian Ramchandra Guha then called out Jaishankar for "promoting fake news", triggering a Twitter row between the two.
The book was written by Narayani Basu, a historian who also happens to be the great-granddaughter of V.P. Menon.
Given that supporters of rightwing groups have frequently accused the Congress of downplaying the legacy of Sardar Patel, it is not surprising that the book generated interest among people whom some liberals refer to as 'bhakts' (avid followers of the BJP and PM Narendra Modi).
But on Friday, Narayani Basu tweeted, "Bhakts unfollowing me at the speed of light as they discover I'm not a bhakt at all is the best part of my recent Twitter life."
The post appeared to be in response to Narayani Basu criticising the BJP government over the recent communal violence in northeast Delhi.
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In addition to statements criticising the government, Narayani Basu had also shared tweets seeking help for victims of the violence in northeast Delhi as well as details of planned protests.
Responding to a tweet that said people assumed she was a "Nehru basher" based on her book, Basu said she has "never been a Nehru basher (or any historical figure's basher)—just here to be a historian & tell the stories that need to be told".
However, Basu criticised a recent tweet by former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi who had brought up the death of judge B.H. Loya in 2014 to criticise the transfer of a Delhi High Court justice who was hearing pleas about the Delhi violence. Rahul Gandhi happens to be the great-grandson of Nehru.
Basu tweeted, "I love the brass-faced audacity of this man [Rahul Gandhi] who vanishes conveniently at a time when his country is in crisis, is a laughable meme of a politician & a real shame to the name of his great-grandfather. Delete yourself, sir. History will not remember you at all."
