Rahul Gandhi slammed over his remark on British’s ties with ‘pliant maharajas, nawabs’; Scindia royal family reacts | Mint

Bharatiya Janata Party leaders from royal families, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Diya Kumari, have criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his recent remark on British East India Company’s ties with Maharajas and Nawabs.

“The East India Company choked India by partnering with, bribing, and threatening our more pliant maharajas and nawabs,” read a column in The Indian Express by Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi.

The mention of Maharajas and Nawabs didn’t sit well with BJP leaders with a royal lineage. Criticising the remark, Minister of Communications for India, Jyotiraditya Scindia, asked Rahul Gandhi to “stop insulting Bharat Mata and learn about true Indian heroes like Mahadji Scindia, Yuvraj Bir Tikendrajit, Kittur Chennamma, and Rani Velu Nachiyar”.

While sharing the screenshot of the article on X, Jyotiraditya Scindia took a jibe at Gandhi and wrote, “Those who sell hatred have no right to lecture on Indian pride and history.”

“India’s legacy doesn’t begin or end with the title ‘Gandhi’. Only under PM Shri @narendramodi Ji’s leadership are the stories of our real warriors finally celebrated. Respect Bharat’s history, or don’t pretend to speak for her,” he added while mentioning Rahul Gandhi as a “product of an outdated entitlement.”

‘Baseless allegations made on basis of half-baked interpretation’: Kumari Diya

Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari condemned Rahul Gandhi’s comments and claimed that his remarks were an attempt to “malign the erstwhile royal families of India”.

She also said that the dream of integrated India was the result of “utmost sacrifice of the erstwhile royal families of India”.

“I strongly condemn Mr Rahul Gandhi’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 of half-baked interpretation of historical facts is completely unacceptable,” Diya Kumari wrote in a post on X.

Jyotiraditya Scindia on his family’s alleged betrayal to Rani Laxmi Bai during the Revolt of 1857

Jyotiraditya Scindia comes from a family of Scindia rulers who were part of the Maratha dynasty that ruled the erstwhile Gwalior state (now in Madhya Pradesh) during 18th century. 

Reacting to allegations, Jyotiraditya Scindia told The Lallantop, “Jayajirao Scindia helped Rani of Jhansi till the end. The British had asked to use the army. But Jayajirao refused. The British had put him under house arrest. He was put in jail.”