Author-turned politician has plenty to say about Britain's colonial past

"A gigantic colonial scam."
 By 
Sohini Mitter
 on 
Author-turned politician has plenty to say about Britain's colonial past
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Shashi Tharoor is at it again.

The popular author-turned-politician has lately been blowing the lid off Britain's colonial past, which he claims, has been brushed under the carpet.

"Not a line of colonial history" is being taught in the best schools of London, he says. His recent speeches, essays and book, An Era Of Darkness, is all about that.

In the video above, Tharoor admonishes British officials from the 18th and 19th centuries for exploiting India's resources and taxpayers' money to build the country's railway system which he reckons was "a gigantic colonial scam".

"From the start it was apparent that the British wanted to build the railways for their own purposes,” he says. “The important role that India could play as a market for British goods and as a market for agricultural raw materials for Britain would be facilitated by the railways.”

Tharoor debunks the widely held notion that India's sprawling railway network is Britain's greatest contribution to the country it colonized for over two centuries, adding that India "must forgive but never forget".

Just watch it.

Mashable Image
Sohini Mitter

India staff at Mashable. Formerly with Forbes India magazine and The Financial Express newspaper.


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