Dr Shashi Tharoor's speech before Oxford audience and my take

Many friends may find Dr. Shashi Tharoor's speech justified in asking for reparations, but here's my take.......................
In my opinion, Dr. Tharoor was trying to equate British India, a collage of more than 300 small princely states to present day sovereign democratic republic unified India. Despite the so called "loot", the country of "India" probably wouldn't even exist today if it weren't for the British. Of course, Independent India will always remain grateful to all freedom fighters and leaders for their sacrifices. However, if India had never been colonized, it would have remained politically fractured with rival kingdoms still fighting each other for dominance over the subcontinent, just as in the days of old. The British are to be credited with the whole invention of the modern state of India in the first place. India owes to Britain for uniting a divided country & developing it (except partition of India and unresolved Kashmir issues). Without British rule, there would be no world class universities, railways & industries (even for their selfish reasons) and, of course, linguistic abilities of Indians including Dr Shashi Tharoor (all so British!) to impress the Oxford audience. India copied everything, including the parliamentary system, state governance. So its not that the india didn't learn or take anything from the British. I find the idea of reparations quite mind boggling. How far back should we go? Can India demand reparations from Afghanistan for Mahmud Ghazni's raid on Somenath Temple or Mughals for their atrocities. Because of India's weakness, British was able to rule India. They owned India. They could do whatever they wanted to do in the absence of any International body for human rights, peace and stability. Has anything changed now in India, so far "loot" is concerned?

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