THE stock of national heroes fluctuates over time. For decades Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first prime minister, was venerated at home. A gifted writer, he turned out impressive books while incarcerated in British-run prisons. In power he kept his multi-religious country democratic and stable, despite enormous strains. Abroad he guided it away from cold-war entanglements. Yet today the admiration is fading: "the popular mood in India has turned fiercely against Nehru and his legacy," observes Ramachandra Guha, a historian.
展开▼
