'Nehru Said India Second, China First': EAM Jaishankar On The Former PM's Stance On Permanent Seat At UN Security Council

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated on Tuesday (2 April) that "mistakes of the past" were responsible for the current problems like Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) and the occupation of some Indian territories by China.

Referring to India's stand when it was offered a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, he claimed there was a time when Nehru, the country's first prime minister, said "India second, China first".

"In 1950, (then home minister) Sardar Patel had warned Nehru about China. Patel had told Nehru that today for the first time we are facing a situation on two fronts (Pakistan and China) which India had never faced earlier. Patel also told Nehru that he does not believe what the Chinese are saying as their intentions seem different and we should take precautions," the EAM said while speaking at the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He added that Nehru was "totally dismissive" about Patel's apprehensions regarding China.

"Nehru replied to Patel that you are unnecessarily suspicious of the Chinese. Nehru also said it is impossible for anybody to attack us from the Himalayas. Nehru was totally dismissive (about Chinese threat)," Jaishankar said, adding that everyone knows what happened subsequently.

"Not only that, when the debate of a permanent seat of the UN (Security Council) came and it was being offered to us, Nehru's position was we deserve the seat but first China should get it. We at present are following India first policy, but there was a time when Nehru said India second, China first," he said, India Today reported.

Jaishankar added that Patel opposed taking the Kashmir issue to the UN as he knew the "mentality" of a judge there.

"If you know that the judge is partial, would you go to seek justice from him? But that's what happened, the issue was taken to the UN and immediately a lot of pressure came to stop the military exercise (to reclaim POK)," he said, adding "today we have ended up in these situations due to mistakes of the past."

"Today when we talk about our boundaries, some say rewrite our boundaries. Our boundaries are still our boundaries, we should never ever doubt that," the EAM said.

Jaishankar stated that there is a parliamentary resolution concerning Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) which must be respected by all.

He added that it was important to seek answers about our position today, but it was also important to look at the mistakes of the past.

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