Nationalism and the slogan of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ are being misused to construct a “militant and purely emotional” idea of India that excludes millions of residents and citizens, former PM Manmohan Singh said on Saturday, in an apparent attack on the BJP.

Addressing a gathering at the launch of a book on Jawaharlal Nehru’s works and speeches, he said if India was recognised in the comity of nations as a vibrant democracy and, if it was considered as one of the important world powers, it was the first Prime Minister who should be recognised as its key architect.

“Unfortunately, a section of people, who either do not have the patience to read history or would like to be deliberately guided by their prejudices, try their best to picture Nehru in a false light. But I am sure, history has the capacity to reject fake and false insinuations and put everything in proper perspective,” he said.

“Nehru led this country in its volatile and formative days when it adopted a democratic way of life, accommodating divergent social and political views,” Singh said. “With an inimitable style and a multi-linguist, Nehru laid the foundation of universities, academies and cultural institutions of modern India.

The book ‘Who is Bharat Mata?’ by Purushottam Agrawal and Radha Krishna contains selections from Nehru’s classic books, including ‘The Discovery of India’, speeches, essays and letters and some of his most revealing interviews. First brought out in English, now its Kannada translation has been released.