: India mourns Queen Elizabeth IIs death, many question govt decision #IndiaNEWS #National New Delhi: As India observes state mourning Sunday over Queen Elizabeth IIs death, many people questioned the

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India mourns Queen Elizabeth IIs death, many question govt decision #IndiaNEWS #National
New Delhi: As India observes state mourning Sunday over Queen Elizabeth IIs death, many people questioned the decision after the governments attempts to remove symbols of slavery by rechristening Rajpath and unveiling a new naval ensign drawing inspiration from Chhatrapati Shivaji.
The Britains Queen Elizabeth II, fondly known as Lilibet, breathed her last on Thursday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. She reigned as UKs longest-serving monarch for 70 years. She was 96.
For a country which changed the Naval ensign saying symbols of slavery shall be removed, declaring state mourning is a contradiction, said Swapnil Narendra, a Delhi–based writer.
While people around the globe grieved for the Queen and highlighted her contribution to hundreds of charities, many others remembered how the countries colonised by the British paid for their legacy.
Ananya Bhardwaj, PhD scholar at The George Washington University, said, As an Indian, I identify as a postcolonial subject and hearing of the one-day mourning for the Queen in India is very disheartening.
I do not agree with people who say they mourn the Queen and not the Empire because the title through we know her comes from that imperial institution. Therefore, seeing her in the absence of the Empire she represents makes no sense, she said.
Purva Mittal, a PhD scholar and political consultant, feels that the government is following protocol by announcing the state mourning. India received membership of the Commonwealth of Nations without swearing upon allegiance to the Crown. The decisions of official mourning are based on political standing and international relations.
India is a part of the Commonwealth of Nations, a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire.
Just as the news of Queens demise started doing the rounds of the internet, several netizens on Twitter demanded that the Kohinoor diamond be brought back to India, while others criticised the governments decision of announcing state mourning for the UKs longest-serving monarch.
Now can we get our #Kohinoor back? Reminder that Queen Elizabeth is not a remnant of colonial times. She was an active participant in colonialism. #QueenElizabeth #India, a Twitter user said.
Another user tweeted, The decision to mourn the death of #QueenElizabethII by #India is tantamount to disrespecting and insulting our freedom fighters and their sacrifices.
Mittal said, The Queen was said to be the binding force between the Great Britain and its colonies, often forgetting that the past and the said association were based on subordination, gaslighting the indigenous culture and grand theft of national treasure.