India scraps colonial-era railway uniforms to erase British legacy

India has banned its railway staff from wearing their traditional uniform as part of Narendra Modi’s sweeping campaign to remove symbols of its colonial legacy.

The Bandhgala, also known as a “prince suit”, will no longer be an official dress on India’s trains, Ashwini Vaishnaw, India’s railways minister, said.

The black jacket, buttoned up to the top and with a Chinese collar, was introduced by the British in the late 19th century and modelled on Western formal wear for railways.

It evolved into a distinctly Indian garment, now commonly worn by men at weddings and other ceremonial occasions, but the Indian government is determined to remove such traces of their former rulers.

“We have to get rid of all colonial mindset,” said Mr Vaishnaw. “We need to find each of them and remove them, whether it’s in our working style or dressing style. From today onwards, the black prince coats that the British introduced will no longer be a part of formal dress in railways.”

Mr Modi’s populist government has targeted the English language, street names and the traditions of the armed forces as part of his campaign to eradicate colonial symbols and nurture Hindu pride.

Last month, India swapped 96 pictures of colonial-era British Aides-de-Camp officers for images of Indian wartime heroes at the presidential palace.

Since 2014, when Mr Modi was first elected as prime minister, India has renamed many places redolent of British legacy.

In 2016, the Race Course Road, where his residence is located, was renamed Lok Kalyan Marg.

In September 2022, he unveiled the new ensign of the Indian Navy that he said “removed the remaining traces of slavery and a colonial past” on the country’s warships by eradicating the St George’s cross.

In July of the same year, a new national emblem appeared on the new Parliament in New Delhi, described by Mr Modi as “another important milestone in the decolonisation of Lutyens Delhi”.

Lutyens’ Delhi is an area in the Indian capital named after the British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869–1944), who was responsible for much of the architectural design and building during the period of the British Raj.

Apart from designing the old Parliament House and the Indian president’s office, Mr Lutyens also designed large government buildings in Delhi.

The whole rebranding exercise is a targeted campaign to establish a new India, a “second republic”, governed by a sense of Hindutva, or Hinduness, that casts aside the shackles of its colonial past.

Mr Modi sees himself as one of history’s great nation-builders, a leader who intends to leave India a very different nation to the one he took charge of 12 years ago.

In 2018, Ross Island was renamed Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep, Neil Island became Shaheed Dweep and Havelock Island was rechristened Swaraj Dweep.

In 2024, Port Blair, the capital of the Union Territory, was renamed Sri Vijaya Puram, while a further 21 islands were named after Indian wartime heroes.

The government has asked railway officials to suggest alternative uniforms that reflect Indian culture, but a replacement has yet to be announced.

Last June, Amit Shah, the home secretary, said the day would come when an Indian who spoke English would feel “ashamed” to do so.

“The goal of a developed India is to remove any trace of the colonial mindset, taking pride in our roots, unity and sense of duty among citizens,” Mr Modi said last summer.

[Source: Daily Telegraph]