“The Man Who Reeks of Entitlement...”: Jairam Ramesh Responds to Jyotiraditya Scindia

A recent exchange between Congress leaders and BJP Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has spotlighted historical legacies and political entitlement. The dispute ignited after Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition, wrote an article in *The Indian Express*, criticising how the British East India Company monopolised and exploited India by allying with “pliant maharajas and nawabs.” Gandhi highlighted how the Company manipulated India’s political and economic systems to maintain dominance, condemning its historical oppression of India’s indigenous industries.

Scindia, whose royal lineage ties him to the former princely state of Gwalior, took offence to Gandhi’s remarks. In a pointed response on social media, he accused Gandhi of ignorance and alleged a colonial mindset. Scindia urged Gandhi to respect the memory of lesser-known freedom fighters, including historical figures like Mahadji Scindia and Rani Velu Nachiyar, who he claimed fought to safeguard India’s sovereignty. He further criticised the Congress leader for purportedly failing to address India’s rich heritage, asserting that Gandhi’s “privilege” and “entitlement” distanced him from the real struggles of ordinary Indians.

Scindia’s criticism, however, met with a scathing rebuttal from senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who described him as a “man who reeks of entitlement.” Ramesh highlighted that Scindia’s own political career and privileges were largely nurtured by the Congress party, contrasting his defection to the BJP as an act of opportunism rather than principle. Ramesh further alluded to Scindia’s late father, Madhavrao Scindia, who initially opposed the abolition of royal privileges but later integrated into the Congress to pursue his political career.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera also joined the fray, addressing Scindia’s selective reading of history. Khera highlighted the complex role of Scindia’s ancestors, particularly during the 1857 Indian Rebellion. He noted that Srimant Jayajirao Scindia, Gwalior’s ruler during the uprising, ultimately sided with the British, providing military support against the rebels. Khera acknowledged that individual soldiers and officers in Gwalior’s army defied the ruler by joining the rebellion led by figures like Tatya Tope and Rani Lakshmibai, who famously seized control of Gwalior.

Khera suggested that Scindia’s “entitlement” had clouded his understanding of India’s colonial history. He sarcastically offered to send “a truckload of history books” to Scindia to clarify the role his forefathers played in supporting the East India Company, as well as the courage shown by ordinary Indians who resisted colonial rule. Khera ended by challenging Scindia to confront current monopolistic forces instead of clinging to a nostalgic view of past privileges.

The dispute underscores the ongoing friction in Indian politics over interpretations of history, identity, and privilege, with both sides leveraging heritage as a tool for political critique.