Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Congress on Thursday attacked Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia for targeting Rahul Gandhi for his article on business monopolies, saying the BJP leader has to prove his loyalty to "new bosses" everyday while reminding him that the Scindia rulers had "supported" the East India Company during the British period.
General Secretary (Communication) Jairam Ramesh said the "man who reeks of entitlement is sermonising on it" while recalling that his "more likeable" father Madhavrao Scindia had challenged Indira Gandhi's decision to abolish privy purses and princely privileges in the Supreme Court but later joined the Congress and prospered politically.
"He bequeathed a legacy to his son - who then did well for himself, and got much more than what he deserved in the Congress. He now has to prove his loyalty to his new bosses every day by defaming and denigrating those who built him up in the first place. It is worse than pathetic!" Ramesh said on 'X'.
As Scindia targeted Rahul saying that the latter's ignorance about India’s rich heritage and that his colonial mindset have crossed all limits, Congress Media and Publicity Department chairman Pawan Khera said the role of the Scindia family of Gwalior was "complex" in the freedom struggle of 1857.
"His Highness Scindia-ji, you took Rahul-ji's attack on the monopolistic corporation a little too personally. This corporation had looted India by enslaving India by intimidating the Nawabs and Rajas and Princes of India with its hold,” he posted on ‘X’.
"Shrimant Jayajirao Scindia, who was the ruler of Gwalior at that time, sent his army to help the East India Company and took action against the rebels. It is clear in history that Shrimant Jayajirao supported that monopolistic corporation. We do not doubt his patriotism, he must have been under pressure. Rahul-ji has also mentioned about the same pressure in his article," Khera posted on X.
He said many soldiers and officers of the Gwalior army had joined the rebellion because they had overcome their fear and referred to Tatya Tope and Rani Lakshmibai capturing Gwalior.
Jayajirao Scindia had to flee his palace, but later he regained control of Gwalior with the help of the East India Company, Khera said.
"Thus formally the Scindia rulers supported the East India Company, but many members of their army joined the freedom struggle, because the people were more intelligent, patriotic and fearless than the rulers," he added.
"Scindia-ji, history inspires us to move forward by learning lessons, not to live on false fabrications. This is what is called past gaining control. Well, I have tried to exorcise your past with the true history of the rebellion of Indians against that monopolistic corporation in 1857. Hope it has been exorcised," Khera said.
Otherwise, he said, he would have to "send a whole bundle of history books to your residence so that your 'bhoot' (past) is exorcised" as well as a "truck full of courage from the farmers, labourers, Dalits and tribals so that you can become stronger to speak against the monopolistic corporations that are currently running in the country".