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It’s tempting to laugh, but some of the rhetoric around this evocation of the “glories” of British rule are truly scary: chiefly, “Britishers helped India to get independence in 1857 from foreign Islamic invaders/terrorist” 🤯 
The historical illiteracy on display here is not innocent, and the implications are clear: the British displaced the (Muslim) Mughals, then left a gloriously united country behind a mere 90 years later, though one lacking some of its rightful northern parts...(ahem)
But hey, we gave them “the railways”! 🚂 🚂 🚂
I cannot quite express how absolutely sick to death of the goddamn train trope in “empire-wasn’t-all-bad” apologia, from Hindu or British right. Someone please take the trains motif out back and put it out of its misery. PLEASE.
I cannot quite express how absolutely sick to death of the goddamn train trope in “empire-wasn’t-all-bad” apologia, from Hindu or British right. Someone please take the trains motif out back and put it out of its misery. PLEASE.
...anyway, the not so subtle implication is that while the British left, after bestowing all these wonderful treats, the Muslim “invaders/terrorist” never did. It’s why such #empire invocations are more scary than funny: they’re put to work in service of a communal agenda.
And, as @PriyamvadaGopal points out, the Hindu right has its origins as a colonial formation. Perhaps never more clearly on display than here.
For some reason, this all just makes me want to reshare that Queen Victoria as a lesbian Banksy... 🤔 #ImmortalLesbian
Even better: there’s a whole bunch of Victoria and Abdul gifs! These seem so appropriate... 😂
Uh oh... 🙈🙉🙊😂
And now with pictures — this is the gift that keeps on giving!
“Britishers knew if true history would be taught no one would vote for Congress”
outlookindia.com/website/story/…
“Britishers knew if true history would be taught no one would vote for Congress”
outlookindia.com/website/story/…
