In speech, African leaders heap praise on Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi

Nehru was remembered by Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and leaders from Morocco, Ghana, Mali, Mauritius, Sao Tome and Principe. The Mahatma was mentioned by Mugabe, South African President Jacob Zuma, African Union chair Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, and leaders from Sudan, Liberia, Guinea, Madagascar, Namibia, Lesotho and Sao Tome. Many of them also mentioned NAM Summit and Bandung Conference — in which Nehru played an important role — although they did not name him.

Zuma said, “We would like to recall the historical ties that bind us over the last century, emphasising particularly the role of two of your visionary prime ministers, Jawaharlal Nehru and his daughter Indira Gandhi.”

Calling Nehru an active participant in the 1955 Bandung Conference in Indonesia and a founding member of the 1961 Non-Aligned Movement, he said the principles enshrined in the NAM were relevant in today’s challenging times. “Indira Gandhi, in her first 11 years in office from 1966 to 1977, changed India’s Africa policy through the introduction of the Africa-India Development Cooperation and India’s support for liberation struggles in Africa, including South Africa,” he said. “The actions of these two Indian visionaries have created the base of strong solidarity between African member states and India.”

In his address, Mugabe said Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru led the way through non-violence and showed the path to rid India and Africa of colonialism. The 91-year-old leader also termed the Congress as a “great party” as he recalled Africa’s ties with Gandhi and Congress. Moroccan King Mohamed VI said his grandfather and the “great” Nehru worked together in anti-colonial struggle in Africa.

Interestingly, Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh, Wednesday night skipped the dinner hosted by PM Modi for the African leaders, apparently sending a message that it was outraged over the “insult” to the legacy of Nehru.