Why did Congress accept his father, him in party fold, asks Scindia on `betrayers’ jibe

PTI, Jul 23, 2023, 8:30 AM IST

Responding to the jibes of Congress leaders that his ancestor `betrayed’ Rani Lakshmibai, Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Saturday asked why his late father and later he were allowed to join the party.

He was unfazed by such criticism, the BJP leader who left the Congress in 2020 told reporters here. “Those who have not read a page of history, let them speak whatever they want to. My and family’s deeds, thoughts and ideology are dedicated to Gwalior, Gwalior division, Madhya Pradesh and the country…..If they are so concerned, why did they induct my father (late Madhavrao Scindia), me in the Congress? he asked. Posters claiming that the Scindias, erstwhile rulers of Gwalior, betrayed Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi, during the 1857 revolt, and later the Congress party in 1967 and 2020, came up in the city before Congress leader’s Priyanka Gandhi’s rally here on Friday. At the rally, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Govind Singh reiterated that the Scindia family first let down Lakshmibai and then the Congress in 1967 (referring to Vijaya Raje Scindia who toppled a Congress government in the state). The then Maharaja of Gwalior is blamed by some critics for not helping the Rani of Jhansi against the British.

The Congress’ government in the state fell in March 2020 after MLAs loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia revolted and joined the BJP.