Thu Nov 07 11:19:22 UTC 2024: ## Royal Families Slam Rahul Gandhi’s “Pliant Maharajas” Claim, Accuse Him of Historical Ignorance
**New Delhi:** Members of royal families across India have strongly condemned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent editorial in the Indian Express, where he referred to their ancestors as “pliant Maharajas” who aided the East India Company in colonizing India.
Gandhi’s statement, which claimed the company “controlled our banking, bureaucratic, and information networks” by partnering with “pliant Maharajas and Nawabs,” has sparked outrage among the descendants of these royal families.
Several prominent figures, including Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari, and former Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh, have publicly denounced Gandhi’s claims as “baseless” and “unacceptable.”
Scindia, a member of the Scindia family that ruled Gwalior, accused Gandhi of “selective amnesia” regarding his own privilege and argued that his “dissonance only exposes Congress’ agenda further.”
Kumari, granddaughter of the last Maharaja of Jaipur, stated that the “dream of integrated India was only possible because of the utmost sacrifice of the erstwhile royal families of India.” She condemned Gandhi’s “half-baked interpretation of historical facts” as “completely unacceptable.”
Singh, grandson of the last Maharaja of Kashmir, highlighted the “superficial understanding of history” reflected in Gandhi’s article. He emphasized that many Maharajas “started from humble origins” and “toiled and fought many battles” to create their kingdoms.
Several other royal family members echoed these sentiments, highlighting the contributions of the princely states to the formation of modern India, including their patronage of Indian heritage and sacrifices for a unified nation.
The controversy underscores the continued sensitivity surrounding the role of the princely states in Indian history and has reignited debates about the legacy of British colonialism.
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