Earlier in the day, Guha tweeted quoting British writer Philip Spratt's comment in 1939 that Gujarat was economically strong but "culturally backward".
A war of words broke out on twitter between Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Ramchandra Guha with the minister asking the historian not to worry about economy as it is in "safe hands".
Earlier in the day, Guha tweeted quoting British writer Philip Spratt's comment in 1939 that Gujarat was economically strong but "culturally backward"."Gujarat, though economically advanced, is culturally a backward province... . Bengal in contrast is economically backward but culturally advanced".
Philip Spratt, writing in 1939.
— Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) June 11, 2020
Sitharaman then posted a weblink to an article published in September 2018 about the Poland government organising event to honour former Jamnagar king, Maharaja Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji Jadeja, for giving shelter to 1,000 Polish children during World War II.
"In 1939, when Philip Spratt, from Britain, belonging to the Communist International wrote, (who @Ram_Guha quotes) this was what was happening in Gujarat: Jamnagar... Maharaja Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji Jadeja... saved 1,000 Polish children #Culture," Sitharaman tweeted.
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani also responded to Guha's tweet saying that Indians would not fall for "tricks" of dividing them.In 1939, when Philip Spratt, from Britain, belonging to the Communist International wrote, (who @Ram_Guha quotes) this was what was happening in Gujarat: Jamnagar...Maharaja Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji Jadeja...saved 1000 Polish children #Culture https://t.co/5XsY2cL1WZ
— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) June 11, 2020
Earlier it was the British who tried to divide and rule. Now it is a group of elites who want to divide Indians.
Indians won’t fall for such tricks.
Gujarat is great, Bengal is great...India is united.
Our cultural foundations are strong, our economic aspirations are high. https://t.co/9mCuqCt7d1
— Vijay Rupani (@vijayrupanibjp) June 11, 2020
Soon after, Guha tweeted: "I thought it was only the Gujarat CM, but now it seems even the FM is obsessing about a humdrum historian's tweets. The economy is surely in safe hands."
Taking a swipe at Guha, Sitharaman tweeted late in the evening: "The economy is very much in safe hands; worry not, Mr Guha.Taking cognisance of thoughts in current national discourse+responsibly doing my job aren't mutually exclusive. Either way, an interest in history is a plus. Surely an intellectual such as yourself should know that.I thought it was only the Gujarat CM, but now it seems even the FM is obsessing about a humdrum historian's tweets. The economy is surely in safe hands. https://t.co/bBpcK85Hel
— Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) June 11, 2020
The economy is very much in safe hands; worry not, Mr. Guha. Taking cognisance of thoughts in current national discourse+responsibly doing my job aren’t mutually exclusive. Either way, an interest in history is a plus. Surely an intellectual such as yourself should know that . https://t.co/speBC2bggv
— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) June 11, 2020
