Even after 75 years of independence, Jawaharlal Nehru and his family always make into the news. Some times in accord while other times in controversies.
A similar kind of claim revolving in social media about Nehru, netizens are claiming that he took the citizenship of London in 1956 and criticizing Nehru for it. Along with the claim, users are sharing a 52-sec video in which Nehru is seen attending some sort of event hosted in London. In the video, we can hear a man saying to Nehru, “It is my privilege as Chamberlain of this city to offer you both the right hand of fellowship and greet you, Mr. Nehru, as a citizen of London.
Sharing the video a user on Twitter writes, “ Do 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 #𝗡𝗲𝗵𝗿𝘂 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝟭𝟵𝟱𝟲 & 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱? How can a UK citizen be a PM of India #BharatTodoYatra.”
another user writes, “In 1956, Nehru took citizenship of London & took oath to be true to the Queen Elizabeth.”
Fact Check:
To investigate the viral claim DFRAC used the InVid tool and then reverse searched the video and specific Keyframes through this we got a video on the YouTube channel ‘British Pathé’ uploaded on April 13, 2014. The title of the video was ‘London Honours Two Great Premiers (1956)’,
At about 0.46 seconds the viral part of the video can be seen, where Nehru in the City Chamberlain can be seen receiving an award known as the freedom of the City of London.
“The City Chamberlain speaking to Holland and Nehru: “It is my privilege as Chamberlain of this City to offer you both the right hand of fellowship and greets you Mr. Nehru as a citizen of London and you Mr. Holland.”
A report of BBC dated 03 July 1956, reported about the honor conferred on Jawaharlal Nehru of India and Sir Sidney Holland of New Zealand by providing them with the Freedom of London Award i.e (The Freedom of the City Award is one of London’s longest-standing traditions. Believed to have started in 1237, the honor was born from the medieval practice of emancipating normal citizens of “peasant” status. It was originally introduced to celebrate valued members of the community or visiting dignitaries.)
Then in the year 2012, the same award was given to Lord Khalid Hameed according to a report in the Times of India.
Conclusion:
Nehru has indeed conferred the ‘Freedom of the City of London’ award and was enrolled as the ‘citizen of London’ in 1956, but it was honorary citizenship and it does not mean that he became a citizen.
