Miscellaneous - This Day That Age   

dated July 5, 1956: Rare honour for Nehru

It was a unique ceremony at the Guildhall on July 3 when the Freedom of the City of London was presented to the Prime Ministers of India and New Zealand. Although the Freedom has been conferred in the past on non-British nationals (such as Garibaldi, De Lesseps, Roosevelt and Eisenhower) this is the first time that an Indian, as citizen of a Republic, has been so honoured. The six Indians previously admitted to this Freedom - Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, Sir Salar Jung, the Maharajah of Bikaner, Lord Sinha, the Maharao of Cutch and Mr. V.S. Srinivasa Sastri - were of course British subjects at the time. There was accordingly a difference of procedure on July 3. In the case of the New Zealand Premier, Mr. Sidney Holland, the "Freedom declaration" was first read out to him, which he subsequently signed, before adding his signature to the Roll of Fame. The declaration amounts to an oath of loyalty to the Queen. In Mr. Nehru's case, however, the declaration was not administered and he was invited to sign the Roll of Fame as soon as the preliminaries were over. In acknowledging the honour done him, Mr. Nehru touched briefly and gracefully on the development of Indo-British relations during the past two or three centuries. He said he was happy and privileged to find his place in the long and distinguished line of the Free Men of London. While being conscious that the distinction was a personal tribute to him, he was also aware that it was a token of regard for India and her people and "a happy reminder of the present free association of our two lands." He referred to the message inscribed on Asoka's pillars and said tolerance and compassion alone could overcome the evils with which the atomic age threatened us. The City Chamberlain, Sir Irving B. Gane, in his welcome address, said Mr. Nehru was already known as the maker of modern India, but even more important than that, he was a link between East and West whose moral strength was of inestimable value to both. "His life is a story of sacrifice, struggle and achievement, in the course of which he has conquered two of the greatest of human weaknesses - fear and hate." Mr. Nehru, in his reply to the address of welcome, said that he came to London for the first time 51 years ago. "I spent a good deal of my boyhood and youth in this city and became a part of it during those impressionable years. Since that period, I have been engaged in many activities connected with freedom."

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