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The recent remarks made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi regarding the British East India Company's ties with Indian Maharajas and Nawabs have sparked controversy and drawn sharp criticism from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, particularly those with royal lineage. Gandhi's statement, published as an opinion piece in The Indian Express, claimed that the East India Company “choked India by partnering with, bribing, and threatening our more pliant maharajas and nawabs.” This assertion, however, has been met with strong disapproval from BJP leaders who view it as a distortion of historical facts and a disrespectful affront to the legacy of Indian royalty.
Leading the charge against Gandhi's remarks is Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Minister of Communications for India. Scindia, himself a descendant of the Scindia royal family, has vehemently condemned Gandhi's words, labeling them as an insult to “Bharat Mata” (Mother India). He urged Gandhi to “stop insulting Bharat Mata and learn about true Indian heroes like Mahadji Scindia, Yuvraj Bir Tikendrajit, Kittur Chennamma, and Rani Velu Nachiyar, who fiercely fought for our freedom.” Scindia further criticized Gandhi on X (formerly Twitter), accusing him of “selling hatred” and lacking the right to lecture on Indian pride and history. He also referred to Gandhi as a “product of an outdated entitlement,” suggesting that his perspective is rooted in a privileged and outdated understanding of India's history.
Echoing Scindia's sentiments is Diya Kumari, the Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan and a member of the erstwhile royal family of Jaipur. Kumari denounced Gandhi's comments as a malicious attempt to tarnish the reputation of India's former royal families. She asserted that the dream of a united India was achieved through the sacrifices of these very families, and that Gandhi's allegations, based on what she deemed a “half-baked interpretation of historical facts,” were utterly unacceptable. The controversy surrounding Gandhi's remarks underscores the complex and often contentious relationship between the historical roles of Indian royalty and the narrative of India's freedom struggle. While some argue that certain princely states collaborated with the British, others contend that their contributions to India's development and cultural heritage cannot be ignored. The debate highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of India's past, acknowledging both the complexities and the sacrifices made by various groups during the struggle for independence.