New Delhi, Oct. 15 -- The Museum of British Colonialism (MBC) has launched a campaign seeking a National Day of Commemoration for the Victims of Colonialism, aiming to highlight the human cost of colonial rule often overshadowed by celebrations of independence.
At its peak in 1913, the British Empire controlled nearly a quarter of the world's landmass and governed 410 million people. In India, almost two centuries of colonial rule brought economic exploitation, disrupted livelihoods and facilitated the transfer of wealth, precious jewels and historical artefacts to Britain, the museum said.
The colonial legacy also included famine, social turmoil and communal tensions. The human cost was particularly evident during the Partition of 1947, which accompanied independence with mass migration, divided families and widespread bloodshed.
The museum also highlighted the British policy of "divide and rule", citing an 1859 statement by Lord Elphinstone, then Governor of Bombay: "Divide et impera was the old Roman maxim: it should be ours."
Chandini Jaswal, India representative of MBC, described the colonial legacy as an ongoing process of adaptation rather than a complete break with the past.
The proposed commemorative day aims to remember those killed during colonial rule, people who lost family members, and communities deprived of their land and livelihoods. It also seeks to preserve their experiences for future generations.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.