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Is it odd that India declared a day of state mourning for the British Queen?

Flags were lowered on Sunday and there was "no official entertainment".... not quite sure what that means.

The Indian PM wanted to convey his respects to the passing of the queen but many Indians were infuriated, not just because of the fact they were brutally colonised by Britain but also because the Royal Family still hold a number of treasures taken from India including the Kohinoor Diamond.

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Harmonium1923 · 51-55, M

That's a really tricky political situation, but it's nice that there was at least one day of state mourning. The two countries share a long history, even if it was often a painful and complicated one.

InOtterWords · F

@Harmonium1923 i really like this response

antonioioio · 70-79, M

@Harmonium1923 it was very clever of India to stay in the commonwealth
To stay in it the had to swar an oath of allegiance to the crown
Not every country that got independence would agree to that
That said
I really admire India how they got independence

HijabaDabbaDoo · F

People that experienced the consequences of British rule are still alive.
If we're looking for reparation. It should be initiated by the oppresser. This response is tone deaf. If he wants to pay his respects, he can do so with a tweet or a gesture that doesn't force its population into mourning too. I don't see why the entire country should be forced to mourn for the face of an empire that ruined them in more than one way.

Miram · 31-35, F

@HijabaDabbaDoo 👏

SW-User

The obvious answer is "no". What's odd is that people had to get upset about it.

Even Karl Marx recognized the *good* that Britain achieved in India, and we all know what his beliefs were.

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SW-User

@antonioioio As SomeMichGuy said, some Commonwealth countries have her as their head of state, and some don't.

antonioioio · 70-79, M

@SW-User to be in commonwealth you must give allegiance to the monarch
Ireland refused and got kicked out

SomeMichGuy · M

@antonioioio No.

You have to accept the monarch as the head of the Commonwealth, not of your country (like saying the Speaker of the US House of Rep. is the one in charge, even if that person is not from *your* state)...let's see...

Following the death of Elizabeth II, the office of the Head of the Commonwealth is held by Charles III. He is the head of state of 15 member states, known as the Commonwealth realms, while 36 other members are republics and 5 others have different monarchs.[9]

(Emphasis added.)

...from the wikipedia "Commonwealth of Nations" article.

deadgerbil · 26-30

Shows how the leadership is disconnected from the actual people. There's really no excuse as to why that stuff hasn't been returned to India under the queen's reign

InOtterWords · F

@deadgerbil it would set a precedent of them returning all wealth stolen during the British Empire

DIMaverick4 · 41-45, M

@InOtterWords you mean now we need to start colonizing Britain so that she is able to do it right? 🤔

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

Maybe this is just a friendly overture to begin the repair of relations?

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Yulianna · 22-25, F

@KiwiBird India is eating the UK alive...

TheSirfurryanimalWales · 61-69, M

@Yulianna of course...I’m not cynical either!

Yulianna · 22-25, F

@TheSirfurryanimalWales money talks... dirty money talks dirty.

DIMaverick4 · 41-45, M

It was not right in my opinion. We should stop caring for our oppressors really.. good riddance is what it should be. I don't know what geo-political compulsion there was for PM Modi and his government to make the gesture..

SomeMichGuy · M

No.

It makes perfect sense.

India is still part of the Commonwealth, and so this is simply diplomatic good manners.

Remember, ERII was *never* "Empress of India", and the monarch is intentionally divorced from politics, only opening Parliament (to read a speech prepared by the government!) and meeting with the current PM weekly (if that's still the schedule) in a private discussion.

UsernameAlreadyInUse · 26-30, M

Ass licking tribute to those colonized their land pillaging country resource,stiring up conflict by divided their country into three.Even dog will bite instead of wigging its tail when someone steal food from their bowl.

InOtterWords · F

@UsernameAlreadyInUse you don't like India much huh?

UsernameAlreadyInUse · 26-30, M

@InOtterWords nope,i love their people,just the gov suck

InOtterWords · F

@UsernameAlreadyInUse the government is terrifying

Miram · 31-35, F

Yes, it is.

NerdyPotato · M

Very odd...

antonioioio · 70-79, M

The Queen was their head of state

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SomeMichGuy · M

@InOtterWords But India *was* a "dominion" of the monarch (GRVI) until it became a republic in early 1950.

Still never under ERII except as acknowledging her as symbolic head of the Commonwealth.

antonioioio · 70-79, M

@SomeMichGuy your 100%. Correct and when they go into government every time they give allegiance to the crown

InOtterWords · F

@antonioioio no they don't

Read this link, it explains the Commonwealth.

India is a republic and is no longer part of the British Empire.

It is part of the Commonwealth but only agreed to join if it did not have to swear alligience to the Crown

https://thecommonwealth.org/london-declaration-1949

YourMomsSecretCrush · M

Most Americans dont hold a grudge against the Royals, probably helps that we stomped their ass in a war to gain our independence.

InOtterWords · F

@YourMomsSecretCrush and it is not in recent history

There are people alive who remember the bloody effects of partition

Fungirlmmm · 51-55, F

Interesting. I wasn't aware of that history.

InOtterWords · F

@Fungirlmmm india was declared independent during the reign of the Queen's father in 1947

KiwiBird · 36-40, F

@InOtterWords And with partition America backed Muslim Pakistan and russia backed India. India has been increasing trade since the second russian invasion into Ukraine in February including a lot of oil. There military is predominantly russian they need spare parts. They have also been either abstaining from voting or voting with russian interests in the UN.

InOtterWords · F

@KiwiBird they will not vote against Rusdia and i understand why....india's biggest threat is China. If India stand against Russia then China will not feel any repercussion for invading india.

Russia has been a long time ally to india, keeping them supplied with defence.

SW-User

Political move I guess

InOtterWords · F

@SW-User i think so. Did any other country make such a gesture?

SW-User

@InOtterWords even the uk didn’t stop entertainment

InOtterWords · F

@SW-User they played cricket still

Just the footy was cancelled and bbc cancelled comedy shows

WintaTheAngle · 41-45, M

It’s not surround considering the amount of foreign aid we pay to them each year abd that we are one of their more significant trading partners.

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InOtterWords · F

@SW-User can you read?

I went to your link and it says that Since 2015 the UK government has given no financial aid to the government of India....which is exactly what i said 🙄

SW-User

@InOtterWords Yeah, to the
*government of India*.

Financial aid is still being given to India, albeit via different means.

KiwiBird · 36-40, F

@InOtterWords

Despite having claimed to have stopped aid to the country, the UK FCDO’s development budget to India will rise from £41.5million in 2020/21 to £55.3million in 2021/22.

V00doo

:/

In Cyprus there were similar feelings because the Queen physically signed the papers to have 3 freedom fighters killed.

InOtterWords · F

@V00doo did they have a day of mourning?

V00doo

@InOtterWords I dont think so.

InOtterWords · F

@V00doo india announced a state day and all national flags flew half mast

SW-User

Yes, it seems odd to me

LordShadowfire · 46-50, M

I'd say yes, because Elizabeth was the queen who oversaw the dismantling of the British empire, so she freed a lot of countries.

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