An India free of colonial symbols: Modi government’s commitment

New Delhi: While commissioning the first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant at Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi on 2nd September 2022, the Prime Minister will also unveil the new Naval Ensign (Nishaan), doing away with the colonial past and befitting the rich Indian maritime heritage. The issue is so close to the heart of PM that during this year’s Independence day speech, he set out “an India free of colonial mindset” as one of the Panch Pran for New India in Amrit Kaal.

This is not the first time though when a conscious effort is being done by PM Modi to shed the baggage of the colonial past. Numerous steps in this direction have been taken in the last eight years.

 Modi government has repealed more than 1500 old and obsolete laws. Most of these laws were remnants of the British era.

 During Republic Day 2022, Beating Retreat Ceremony’s concluding piece ‘Abide With Me’ has been replaced with Kavi Pradeep’s seminal piece ‘Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon’ sung by legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar. Earlier in 2015, the Beating Retreat saw some major changes wherein Indian musical instruments sitar, santoor, and tabla were added for the first time. The retreat was thus infused with an Indian flavour.

This is not the first time though when a conscious effort is being done by PM Modi to shed the baggage of the colonial past. Numerous steps in this direction have been taken in the last eight years. l Modi government has repealed more than 1500 old and obsolete laws. Most of these laws were remnants of the British era. l During Republic Day 2022, Beating Retreat Ceremony’s concluding piece ‘Abide With Me’ has been replaced with Kavi Pradeep’s seminal piece ‘Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon’ sung by legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar. Earlier in 2015, the Beating Retreat saw some major changes wherein Indian musical instruments sitar, santoor, and tabla were added for the first time. The retreat was thus infused with an Indian flavour.

The Rail budget was merged with the Union budget in 2017 after it had been presented separately for 92 years, in yet another departure from British era practises.

PM unveiled a hologram statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose at India Gate. This hologram was to be later replaced with the statue of Netaji. The statue would be unveiled in the same place to mark the yearlong celebration of the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. This was done at the canopy where a statue of King George V had stood till its removal in 1968.

PM recently inaugurated Biplobi Bharat Gallery at Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata. In what has been named after an erstwhile British Empress of India, PM inaugurated a gallery displaying the contribution of the Revolutionaries in the freedom struggle. PM has been a proponent of teaching in mother tongue, as reflected in NEP 2020. This is a marked departure from the focus mainly on English based education, the wheels of which were set in motion during the British time.