Putting British rule of India in perspective
sir – Chris Devine (Letters, April 8) advises me to study the account of the “rapacious British exploitation of India” by Shashi Tharoor.
It is, however, hard to agree that this controversial politician has written a definitive historical work. He regards Churchill as among “one of the more evil rulers of the 20th century, only fit to stand in the company of Hitler, Mao and Stalin”. Lord Lexden
London SW1
sir – An atmosphere of ignorance prevails not only over Britain’s colonial crimes, but over modern independent India’s own.
Britons are required to wear sackcloth over the Amritsar Massacre of 1919, but not only were more people killed in the Amritsar Massacre of 1984, “Operation Blue Star”, but thousands more Sikhs were massacred in pogroms.
India was scarcely months old when it invaded the independent principality of Hyderabad, which was never ruled by the British: it is estimated that 200,000 people died.
In 1975 India also subjected the principality of Sikkim to military occupation and annexation, and it continues to suppress regional separatist movements violently.
India has been independent for 72 years and laying its woes at the foot of perfidious Albion is wearing a bit thin. Britain should make amends for historic crimes when India addresses its own legacy of bloody repression. Let us end this selfserving hypocrisy and approach the future in a spirit of reconciliation. Robert Frazer
Salford, Lancashire