Modi Government's 12-Year Effort to Remove British Colonial Symbols and Practices from India
The Narendra Modi government has systematically replaced British-era symbols, laws, and practices with Indian alternatives over the past twelve years, framing the effort as reclaiming India's cultural identity. Changes include a new Parliament building with Indian architectural motifs, renaming of landmarks and islands, a redesigned Navy ensign, and replacement of colonial-era criminal justice codes with new Indian legislation. The government presents these reforms as steps toward eliminating what Modi calls a "colonial mindset" and restoring India's civilisational heritage.
Since 2012, the Modi government has undertaken comprehensive reforms to remove symbols and practices associated with British colonial rule across multiple domains. Visible changes include the construction of a new Parliament building incorporating Indian architectural elements like the Sengol (a Tamil ceremonial sceptre) and national symbols such as the peacock, lotus, and banyan tree. The government has also redesigned the Indian Navy's ensign to replace the St George's Cross with the national flag and emblem, renamed Rajpath to Kartavya Path, replaced the statue of King George V with one of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate, and renamed three Andaman Islands with Indian names. Additionally, three colonial-era criminal justice codes dating from 1860-1882 have been replaced with new Indian legislation: the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, and updated criminal procedure codes. The effort was given national prominence in Modi's 2022 Independence Day address calling for Indians to shed their "gulami ki mansikta" (colonial mindset).
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12 Years Of 'Decolonisation': How Modi Government Shed British-Era Practices
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