Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk, no stranger to controversy, stirred a storm on Thursday after amplifying a post on X (formerly Twitter) that bizarrely claimed the British never colonised India.
The viral post stated: “If Indians set foot in England and become English, then the English who set foot in India become Indian. Therefore, the English did not rule India. There is no such thing as ‘ colonisation.’”
Musk not only liked the message but also shared it with a “thinking face” emoji, giving it a far wider reach. The post has since been viewed nearly five million times, provoking angry responses from Indian users who accused Musk of legitimising colonial denial.
One furious user countered with a detailed rebuttal: “Indians aren’t looting England’s resources. Indians aren’t torturing British citizens. Indians aren’t triggering famines like Bengal (1943). Indians aren’t massacring Brits like Jallianwala Bagh (1919). Indians aren’t imposing salt taxes or destroying British industries like the textile trade. Indians aren’t deporting Brits to Cellular Jail or enacting laws like the Rowlatt Act. Indians aren’t causing mass displacement like the Partition.”
Another wrote: “White nationalists are trying to equate colonial military invasion, rape, plunder, and exploitation with legal immigration and naturalisation. The goal is to whitewash colonial guilt while vilifying minorities.”
Some even demanded reparations. “Send Indian people back to Bharat if you wish, but do bring the treasure you stole (with interest), compensation for the lives and famines you caused, the manuscripts and art you looted, the missionaries you shipped, and an apology we can understand. We’ll sign the receipt when you arrive,” one post read.
Others underlined the core flaw in the argument: “Living in another country doesn’t erase colonial domination. When Indians went to Britain, they remained foreigners. When the British came to India, they ruled over millions with political, military, and economic control. That’s colonisation.”
This is not the first time Musk has been accused of historical whitewashing. Last year, he claimed the British Empire “ended global slavery,” a remark widely criticised for ignoring the Empire’s long record of exploitation and violence.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
