Vasundhara Raje Scindia

Indore, Aug. 20: Amid celebration of the 150th year of the first war of independence, the Madhya Pradesh Congress finds itself in a spot over the demand for an apology from the Scindias for their role in the freedom struggle.

Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia was in Indore to unveil the bust of Maharani Laxmibai of Jhansi but she was greeted with strong protests from freedom fighters and a section of the state Congress unit.

Members of the Indore-based Freedom Fighters’ Federation courted arrest while demanding an apology from the Scindia family of Gwalior, to which Vasundhara belongs, for allegedly “conniving with the Britishers” during the 1857 uprising.

Federation president Shriram Agaar and senior Congress leader Ramnarayan Tiwari said: “We are not against any individual, but we are unable to forget the historical fact that during the first freedom struggle of 1857, the then rulers of Gwalior had created hurdles in the struggle, and the role played by them is nothing but treason.”

“If the members of the family have any remorse for the act of their forefathers, then they should apologise publicly for their deeds.”

Agaar and Tiwari were supported by state Congress general secretary Prem Chand Guddu. An influential local leader, Guddu defied state unit chief Subhash Yadav’s directive not to protest against the Scindias.

While Vasundhara belongs to the BJP, her nephew Jyotiraditya is a Congress MP like his father Madhavrao Scindia.

Yadav, considered close to Jyotiraditya, was of the view that party leaders should not embarrass the Scindia family while protesting against the Rajasthan chief minister’s presence. Jyotiraditya is said to have demanded disciplinary action against Guddu and Tiwari.

Guddu reached Qila Maidan with a group of Congress and Samajwadi Party leaders but police prevented him from getting anywhere close to Vasundhara, who dismissed the “traitor” charge against her family as baseless. She said as a woman, she had the highest respect for Rani Laxmibai and saw her as a “role model”.

The defiant Congress leader said having Vasundhara unveil the statue was an “insult” to the memory of Rani Jhansi.

Indore city Congress unit president Pramod Tandon washed his hands of the row saying Guddu’s views were “personal” and the party “has nothing to do with it”. In the state unit, Guddu is seen to be close to Union industry and commerce minister Kamal Nath.