Scindia, other ex-royals slam Rahul for remark on British ties with ‘pliant maharajas’ | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Several scions of erstwhile royal families, including BJP minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, on Thursday slammed Rahul Gandhi for claiming in an opinion piece that Britain’s East India Company choked India by “partnering with, bribing, and threatening our more pliant maharajas and nawabs”.
In a post on X, Scindia criticised Congress MP, saying by attempting to lecture on Indian pride and history, Rahul has revealed his ignorance about the country’s rich heritage. The minister also accused him of having a “colonial mindset” and disrespecting figures who fought for India’s freedom.
He should learn about true Indian heroes like Mahadji Scindia, Yuvraj Bir Tikendrajit, Kittur Chennamma and Rani Velu Nachiyar, who actively resisted colonial rule, Scindia said. “Those who sell hatred have no right to lecture on Indian pride and history. Rahul Gandhi’s ignorance about Bharat’s rich heritage and his colonial mindset have crossed all limits,” he said.
Dismissing Rahul’s claims as baseless, Rajasthan’s deputy CM Diya Kumari, a descendant of the last ruling maharaja of Jaipur, said, “I strongly condemn Rahul Gandhi’s attempt to malign the erstwhile royal families of India. The dream of an integrated India was only possible because of the utmost sacrifice of these families.”
“Baseless allegations, founded on half-baked historical interpretations, are completely unacceptable,” she said.
Rahul in his opinion piece scrutinised India’s colonial history, with specific references to how the East India Company allegedly manipulated Indian royalty for its gain.
Cong hits back, says mantri has to prove loyalty to ‘new bosses’
Congress on Thursday berated BJP minister Jyotiraditya Scindia as a legatee of a royal family subservient to British, after he slammed Rahul Gandhi for writing in a media column on “monopoly and crony capitalism” that kings and nawabs compromised to provide a stranglehold of the country to East India Company.
Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh reacted to Scindia’s attack as a Congress turncoat’s constant desire to prove his loyalty to “his new bosses” in BJP.
“History repeats itself. It’s no surprise that those who have historical ties to East India Company and British Empire are the first to take offence to Rahul’s article on monopolisation and East India Company,” Congress functionary BV Srinivas said.