Arun Nehru
{{Short description|Indian politician and columnist (1944–2013)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{About|the Uttar Pradesh politician|the Tamil Nadu politician|Arun Nehru (Tamil Nadu politician)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Arun Nehru
| image =
| imagesize =
| birth_name = Arun Kumar Nehru
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1944|4|24}}
| birth_place = Lucknow, United Provinces, British India
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2013|7|25|1944|4|24}}
| death_place = Gurgaon, Haryana, India
| occupation = {{Hlist|Politician|columnist}}
| nationality = Indian
| networth =
| yearsactive =
| othername =
| children = 2
| relatives = Uma Nehru (grandmother)
Shyam Kumari Khan (aunt)
| family = See Nehru-Gandhi family
| website =
}}
Arun Kumar Nehru (24 April 1944 – 25 July 2013) was an Indian politician and columnist. He was member of the 9th Lok Sabha from Bilhaur as a Janata Dal leader. Earlier, he was member of the 7th and 8th Lok Sabhas from Rae Bareli on an Indian National Congress ticket.{{cite web|url=http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/biodata_1_12/2815.htm|title=Lok Sabha Member's Bioprofile|accessdate=16 February 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017214646/http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/biodata_1_12/2815.htm|archivedate=17 October 2013|df=dmy-all}} In his political career, Nehru served in various ministerial positions, including serving as the Minister of State for Home Affairs from September 1985 to October 1986. A member of the Nehru–Gandhi family, Nehru was noted in the media to be the second most powerful person in the Indian government during his tenure as Minister of State for Home Affairs, after his cousin Rajiv Gandhi, who was then Prime Minister of India.{{Cite web |last=Mitra |first=Sumit |last2=Chawla |first2=Prabhu |date=31 October 1985 |title=Arun Nehru rises to a position of power second only to PM Rajiv Gandhi himself |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19851031-arun-nehru-rises-to-a-position-of-power-second-only-to-pm-rajiv-gandhi-himself-802116-2014-01-14 |access-date=9 April 2025 |website=India Today}} Nehru was also a member of the V. P. Singh cabinet.{{Cite web |last=Aiyar |first=Mani Shankar |date=21 August 2023 |title=How Bad Advice Led Rajiv Gandhi To Make Mistakes in Handling the Babri Masjid Issue |url=https://thewire.in/books/bad-advice-rajiv-gandhi-mistakes-babri-masjid |access-date=9 April 2025 |website=The Wire |language=en}}
Early life and background
Arun Nehru was born on 24 April 1944.{{cite web|title=Arun Nehru Bio|url=http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/biodata_1_12/2815.htm|publisher=Parliament of India|accessdate=27 July 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017214646/http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/biodata_1_12/2815.htm|archivedate=17 October 2013|df=dmy-all}} His father was Anand Kumar Nehru, a member of the Nehru-Gandhi family. He studied at La Martinière Boys College, Lucknow, and Lucknow Christian College.{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/arun-nehru-dies-aged-69/article4953480.ece | title=From the corporate world to politics | work=The Hindu| date=26 July 2013 | accessdate=26 July 2013}}
Career
He worked as a businessman for 17 years before entering into politics. He was president of the paint firm Jenson and Nicholson at the time when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi persuaded him to change career. However, he rose to prominence after Sanjay Gandhi's death. The business community regarded him as a decisive person and even termed him as "one-window clearance". When his cousin Rajiv Gandhi forayed into politics in 1981, Nehru became his key advisor.{{Cite web |last=Badhwar |first=Inderjit |last2=Chawla |first2=Prabhu |date=30 November 1986 |title=Mystery surrounds circumstances under which Arun Nehru was ousted from power |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/special-report/story/19861130-mystery-surrounds-circumstances-under-which-arun-nehru-was-ousted-from-power-801485-1986-11-29 |access-date=9 April 2025 |website=India Today}} Following Indira Gandhi's assassination in 1984, Nehru played a key role in ensuring Rajiv Gandhi's appointment as Prime Minister by persuading then-President of India, Zail Singh, to appoint Rajiv Gandhi as Prime Minister before he was even elected as the party leader.{{Cite web |last=Chawla |first=Prabhu |date=28 July 2013 |title=In death as in life, Arun Nehru remains the envy of many a wannabe politician |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/prabhu-chawla/column/2013/Jul/28/in-death-as-in-life-arun-nehru-remains-the-envy-of-many-a-wannabe-politician-501078.html |access-date=9 April 2025 |website=The New Indian Express}} Nehru also contributed to development of the Special Protection Group.
As a representative of the Indian National Congress (INC), Nehru was a Member of Parliament in the 7th Lok Sabha (1980–84) and 8th Lok Sabha (1984-89) from Rae Bareli. He was Union Minister of State for Energy (December 1984—September 1985,) and for Home Affairs (September 1985—October 1986) in 10th ministry of India. Later, he left the INC for Janata Dal and was elected to the 9th Lok Sabha from Bilhaur in 1989, where he was Union Minister for Commerce and Tourism (December–November 1990). Nehru was also noted in the media to be one of the most powerful members of the V.P. Singh government and also helped form Singh's government.{{Cite web |last=Anshuman |first=Kumar |date=26 July 2013 |title=Arun Nehru: A business honcho who rose and fell due to his astuteness |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/arun-nehru-indira-gandhi-rajiv-gandhi-171677-2013-07-25 |access-date=9 April 2025 |website=India Today}}
He was also a member of various committees - Railway Convention Committee (1980–84), Consultative Committee, External Affairs and Science and Technology, 7th Lok Sabha; Member, Consultative Committee, External Affairs (1987–89).
Controversies
=Role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots=
As originally reported by The Caravan Magazine, Arun Nehru reportedly played a pivotal role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.[https://web.archive.org/web/20160322164956/https://caravanmagazine.in/vantage/1984-massacre-how-senior-leaders-congress-sanctioned-organised-violence-indira-gandhi-death The 1984 Massacre, How Senior Leaders From The Congress Sanctioned The Organised Violence That Followed Indira Gandhi’s Death, The Caravan (October 29, 2015)] The riots broke out after the Assassination of Indira Gandhi. According to then petroleum secretary Avtar Singh Gill, Rajiv Gandhi 's "errand boy", Lalit Suri informed him at the eve of the massacre that Arun Nehru gave "clearance" for the killings in Delhi. His strategy was to "catch Sikh youth, fling a tyre over their heads, douse them with kerosene and set them on fire." He further retorted, "This will calm the anger of the Hindus".[https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/congress-culpability-and-kamal-nath/296968 Congress, Culpability And Kamal Nath, OutLook India (Jun 16, 2016)]
=Czech pistol case=
During his tenure as Minister of State in the Home Ministry from 1985–86, he was allegedly involved in the Czech pistol case, where a deal with the Czechoslovakian firm Merkuria Foreign Trade Corp had resulted in a loss of around {{INRConvert|2.5|m}}.{{cite news |url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/1988-pistol-deal-court-to-hear-arguments-on-charge-sheet_832994.html |agency=PTI |title=1988 pistol deal: Court to hear arguments on charge sheet |publisher=Zee News |date=4 March 2013 | accessdate=26 July 2013}} A 20-year investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) led to submission of a report in 2007. This found no incriminating evidence.{{cite web | url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-03-23/india/37959855_1_trial-proceedings-clean-chit-pistols | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202124019/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-03-23/india/37959855_1_trial-proceedings-clean-chit-pistols | url-status=dead | archive-date=2 February 2014 | title=SC stays trial in Rajiv-era Czech pistol purchase scam | date=23 March 2013 | work=The Times of India | accessdate=26 July 2013}} The trial court, however, rejected the CBI report and found Nehru's involvement enough to continue the proceedings.{{cite news | url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/czech-pistol-case-court-summons-former-union-minister-arun-nehru-262080 |title=Czech pistol case: Court summons former Union Minister Arun Nehru |publisher=NDTV |date=2 September 2012 |accessdate=26 July 2013}} In March 2013, the Supreme Court stayed those proceedings, based on the report.
Personal life
Nehru married Subhadra Nehru in 1967, and they had two daughters, Radhika and Avantika.{{Cite web |last=Bamzai |first=Kaveree |date=10 August 2013 |title=The Long Goodbye to differences in Nehru family |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/glass-house/story/20130819-sonia-gandhi-arun-nehru-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-765197-2013-08-09 |access-date=9 April 2025 |website=India Today}} He has 3 grandsons. Akhil Madan, Yash Madan and Vickram Tikkoo. He died on 25 July 2013 in Gurgaon.{{cite news |date=25 July 2013 |title=Former union minister and Congress leader Arun Nehru passes away |url=http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130725/news-current-affairs/article/former-union-minister-and-congress-leader-arun-nehru-passes-away |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130727041144/http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130725/news-current-affairs/article/former-union-minister-and-congress-leader-arun-nehru-passes-away |archive-date=27 July 2013 |accessdate=25 July 2013 |work=Deccan Chronicle |agency=PTI}}
{{Nehru-Gandhi family tree}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
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Category:Journalists from Uttar Pradesh
Category:Politicians from Lucknow
Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Uttar Pradesh
Category:Janata Dal politicians
Category:Lok Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh
Category:Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Uttar Pradesh