A year-old speech of Journalist Palki Sharma addressing the Oxford University surfaced on social media and went viral yesterday.
Sharma took to X (Formerly Twitter) to clarify that the remarks were made more than a year ago, but mentioned how “overwhelmed” she was to see her speech resonating with “so many of you”.
In her speech, she says, “I have lived in many Indias…. the very India where exciting policies were abandoned. The self-doubting India, where decisions were taken based on global opinions. And today, a more confident India where world comes to leadership and inspiration. Indians are prosperous at home and more confident abroad.”
She further said, “To judge a country’s path you have to able to separate agenda-driven narrative from facts. For any country there is always a wrong path…enough dictators and autocrats have shown us. But there is no single right path. As long as democracy and Constitution are respected, I would say to each their own. Finally, the hallmark of right direction is the public approval.”
Her speech has also recieved appreciation from PM Modi.
First of all thank you for your speech at the Oxford, and standing up for all of us Indians truly it was a great speech and we loved every part of it.
For those who didn’t watch it, here it ispic.twitter.com/UueehW6vYQ— Abhishek Bhardwaj (@Kalpvriksha_ggn) April 25, 2024
Reminiscing Tharoor’s Speech
Sharm’s speech has sparked memories of the sort-of similar ferocious speech of the former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor in 205 at the Oxford University for reparations of losses to the Indian economy during the 200 years of British Colonial rule.
Tharoor’s speech pointed out, “India’s share of world economy when Britain came to our shores was 23%. By the time the British left, it was down to less than 4%. Why? Simply because India was governed for Britain’s benefit. Britain’s rise in over two countries was financed by its depredation of India.”
Tharoor also said that 15 to 29 million Indians died due to starvation in famines induced by the British. He also cited the example of Great Bengal Famine during the second World War where millions of people died.
He addressed the question of the Indian Railways as legacy of British rule by saying, “Many countries-built railways and roads without needing to be colonized.”
