‘Exposes narrow thinking’: Scindia rebuts Rahul Gandhi on ‘maharajas’ remark

In his hunger for power and position, he has forgotten that these royal families had laid the foundation of equality and inclusive development in India years ago, said Scindia

NEW DELHI: Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his comments on the role of royal families during a rally in Madhya Pradesh’s Mhow, saying it exposed his narrow thinking and understanding.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia slammed Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for his comments at a rally in Madhya Pradesh’s Mhow. (REUTERS)

“What Rahul Gandhi, who considers the Constitution as his pocket diary, has said about the role of royal families in pre-independence India shows his narrow thinking and lack of understanding,” Scindia said in a post in Hindi on X on Monday evening, responding to Gandhi’s comments.

Addressing a rally in Mhow on Monday, Gandhi said Dalits, backwards and tribals had no rights before independence, when “only maharajas and rajas enjoyed rights”.

“After independence, you (common people) got land and rights, but the BJP and RSS want to create a pre-independence India, where the common man has no rights, and billionaires such as Adani and Ambani control everything. They want the poor to suffer in silence and not dream of change,” Gandhi said.

Scindia rebutted the claim.

“In his hunger for power and position, he has forgotten that these royal families laid the foundation of equality and inclusive development in India years ago,” Scinida said in his post.

“He has forgotten that: Baroda Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad provided financial assistance to our Constitution maker Baba Saheb Ambedkar to get education; Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj laid the foundation of social justice in 1902 by giving 50 percent reservation to the Bahujans of the country in his governance for the first time; To empower the backward classes educationally, Madhav Maharaj I of Gwalior had opened education and employment centres in the entire Gwalior-Chambal,” the Union minister said.

“It was the Congress that gave birth to the dictatorial ideology and worked to undermine the rights of Dalits, the deprived and the backward classes. Rahul Gandhi, first read history, then make statements!” he added.