JM Scindia And Diya Kumari - From Royal Families - Criticise Rahul Gandhi's Opinion Piece
In response to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s opinion piece, published on November 6 in The Indian Express and titled “A New Deal for Indian Business,” BJP politicians and descendants of royal families, Union Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia and Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari, have voiced strong objections. Gandhi’s article raised concerns over monopolistic practices in India’s business sector, drawing parallels between current corporate dominance and the monopolies established by the British East India Company.
In his piece, Gandhi argued that India’s freedom was lost not to a nation, but to a corporation—the East India Company— which monopolised industries and manipulated local rulers. He criticised the modern Indian corporate landscape, claiming that a new breed of monopolists has amassed wealth and influence, stifling competition and impacting fair business practices. Gandhi appealed to smaller business owners to resist these monopolies, promising his political support for fair and free business.
“India was silenced by the East India Company. It was silenced not by its business prowess, but by its chokehold. The Company choked India by partnering with, bribing, and threatening our more pliant maharajas and nawabs,” Rahul wrote, which has provoked the royal scions.
Those who sell hatred have no right to lecture on Indian pride and history. @RahulGandhi ’s ignorance about Bharat’s rich heritage and his colonial mindset have crossed all limits.
If you claim to ‘uplift’ the nation, stop insulting Bharat Mata and learn about true Indian heroes… pic.twitter.com/GedmGkYw1r
— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) November 6, 2024
Reacting to Gandhi’s statements, Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, a descendant of the Scindia royal family of Gwalior, took to social media to express his disapproval. In a post, he said, “Those who sell hatred have no right to lecture on Indian pride and history.”
I strongly condemn Mr RahulGandhi’s attempt to malign the erstwhile royal families of India in an editorial today.
The dream of integrated India was only possible because of the utmost sacrifice of the erstwhile royal families of India.
Baseless allegations made on the basis… pic.twitter.com/7uy23Q6I1w
— Diya Kumari (@KumariDiya) November 6, 2024
Scindia criticised Gandhi for what he described as “ignorance” about India’s heritage, accusing him of exhibiting a “colonial mindset.” He further urged Gandhi to learn about historical Indian figures like Mahadji Scindia, Yuvraj Bir Tikendrajit, Kittur Chennamma, and Rani Velu Nachiyar, who fought against colonial oppression. Scindia claimed that Gandhi’s statements revealed a “selective amnesia” about his own privileged background, accusing the Congress leader of exploiting history for political gain.
Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari, a member of the royal family of Jaipur, also condemned Gandhi’s remarks. She said Gandhi’s article “attempted to malign the erstwhile royal families” of India, whose sacrifices, she argued, helped achieve a unified nation. Kumari strongly opposed Gandhi’s “baseless allegations,” attributing them to a “half-baked interpretation of historical facts.”
