NEW DELHI: Moving ahead with its plan to build the Museum on Prime Ministers of India despite opposition from some members of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society, the government on Monday performed the 'bhoomi poojan' and the ground breaking ceremony for the new museum at the Teen Murti lawns.

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The NMML and the Teen Murti Estate have been at the centre of a protracted battle between the Congress and the BJP government. The Congress has continued to oppose the museum alleging the Modi government's wilful attempts to dilute Nehru's legacy. In August, even former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh lent his support to Congress' efforts to "protect" the "nature and character" of NMML, and wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to leave the Teen Murti complex "undisturbed" and saying that Jawaharlal Nehru did not belong to the Congress alone, but to the entire nation. 

Sharma, however, clarified on Monday that NMML as well as the Teen Murti Estate are government property, and cited a government rule from the year 2000 which says that no house or bungalow occupied by a Prime Minister will be converted into a museum. "Currently, we only have memorials dedicated to three Prime Ministers of India - Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi. This museum will accommodate 14 Prime Ministers, including PM Modi, who have served India and will bring to life their life, times and their contribution to building India," Sharma said. The exhibits related to Nehru, however, will continue to be housed within the existing Nehru Memorial museum, which is also at present undergoing maintenance and upgrade. 

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