'In Mysore, maharajas created...': Ex-Infosys CFO schools Rahul Gandhi as he describes Maharajas as 'pliant'

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is facing backlash for describing erstwhile royals as "pliant Maharajas". In an opinion piece where he clarified his stance on business, Gandhi stated that India was subdued not by the business prowess of the East India Company but by its chokehold on the country. 

"It was silenced not by its business prowess, but by its chokehold. The (East India) Company choked India by partnering with, bribing, and threatening our more pliant maharajas and nawabs," he said.

Gandhi's remarks have drawn sharp criticism from several royal scions, including Jyotiraditya Scindia, and former Infosys Chief Financial Officer Mohandas Pai.   

Pai defended the erstwhile royals, emphasising their positive contributions to India. "In Mysore State, the Maharajas created one of the first welfare states in the world after the brutal violence of Tipu," he said. "To abuse them shows a lack of knowledge of history." 

The former top executive also targeted Gandhi directly, questioning his contributions: "Abusing others is easy, but what has he done for India apart from being born in his family?"

Earlier today, Jyotiraditya Scindia, whose family ruled Gwalior, took to X to condemn Gandhi's remarks, calling them a reflection of a "colonial mindset" that had crossed all limits. "Your dissonance only exposes Congress' agenda further -- Rahul Gandhi is no champion of Atmanirbhar Bharat. He is merely a product of an outdated entitlement," Scindia said, accusing Gandhi of selective memory regarding the privileges he enjoyed due to his lineage.

Diya Kumari, the granddaughter of Man Singh II, the last Maharaja of Jaipur, accused Gandhi of attempting to malign the legacy of the royal families and divide society. "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 are completely unacceptable," said Kumari, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan.

Vishvaraj Singh, the current MLA from Rajasthan's Nathdwara and a member of the Mewar royal family, questioned whether Gandhi's comments stemmed from "ignorance or intentional misrepresentation." 

Vikramaditya Singh, a former Congress leader and the heir of the Dogra dynasty, expressed his dismay at Gandhi’s comments, stating that they reflected a superficial understanding of history. "The irony that Rahul Gandhi, coming from such immense privilege himself, would repeatedly attempt to malign the Maharajas' colossal contributions to the republic of India is appalling," he tweeted.