National Opinion Politics

Opinion | “Visual-Guru”

There is a pattern in how we approach big goals. We want to showcase AI, so we import a robo dog from China and present it as proof of innovation. We want to show development, so we rush to inaugurate trains and bridges, even if the first monsoon exposes cracks and leaks. We want to win elections, so we lean on freebies instead of hard reforms. Quick optics. Quick headlines. Quick gains.

Now look at how we handle history.

In February 2026, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the bronze bust of Edwin Lutyens was replaced with a bust of C Rajagopalachari, Rajaji, the first and only Indian Governor General of independent India. The government described it as part of removing vestiges of the colonial mindset and honouring Indian leaders.

But the opposition has criticised the removal of Lutyens’ bust, calling it selective symbolism and an attempt to rewrite history instead of engaging with it. Some have argued that acknowledging colonial history does not mean celebrating it, and that confident nations do not feel threatened by their own past.

Rajaji certainly deserves recognition. There is no debate there. The real issue goes beyond one bust. If colonial influence truly concerns us, it will not disappear by rearranging symbols. It will fade only when our institutions work efficiently, our governance is fair and accountable, and our standards are high enough to command respect on their own.

Changing statues is visible. Changing systems is hard.

If we truly want to move forward, the test is not which bust stands in which hall. It is whether our institutions deliver, our infrastructure survives more than one monsoon, and our policies create durable growth. Nations are built by depth, not by short cuts.

Dear Readers,
As an independent media platform, we do not take advertisements from governments and corporate houses. It is you, our readers, who have supported us on our journey to do honest and unbiased journalism. Please contribute, so that we can continue to do the same in future.

Related posts