The local council in Shropshire in western England on Monday said it is considering placing a plaque next to Robert Clive’s statue explaining the controversial legacy of the man, who ruthlessly laid the foundation of British rule in India in the 18th century, as they “are finally facing up to painful and shameful periods” in their history. It had earlier on July 16 rejected the demand to remove the statue.
A ruthless military commander, Clive, who was born in Shropshire in 1725, served as Bengal’s governor twice. The statue has stood in Shrewsbury’s square since 1860. Black Lives Matter campaigners have identified the statue as one of many recently across the UK for removal. Chapters of the Black Lives Matter campaign against racism have spread across the world including the UK since it began in the US in 2013.
“Today, as a society, we are finally facing up to painful and shameful periods in our history and having to address subjects that cause real distress to some members of our community, especially when they aren’t managed sensitively. The way we interpret the past is hugely important,” said Steve Charmley, the council’s deputy leader.
The 28-member council on July 16 met and voted in favour of a recommendation that no further action be taken on the demand to remove the statue. As many as 17 voted against the proposal and one councillor abstained.
Charmley said they do not believe in erasing controversial history. “We believe we should not erase controversial history but, rather than celebrate and glorify such people and events, find appropriate ways to mark and learn from them…(We) are currently exploring the possibility of placing a plaque next to the statue to factually bring more of his story and background to life.”
The existence of Clive’s statue in Kolkata (Calcutta) was cited as one of the reasons for the recommendation against the statue’s removal on July 16. Calcutta was British India’s capital until it was shifted to New Delhi in 1912.
Thousands have signed a petition calling for the statue’s removal. A counter-petition has insisted that “removing statues does not change history nor help us learn from it. Shropshire has been influenced by the actions of Robert Clive, whether we condone all of his actions or not”.
Protests under the banner of Black Lives Matter campaign were held across the UK after George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died when a white police officer knelt on his neck in the US in May. It gathered momentum after the statue of slave trader Edward Colston was pulled down in Bristol in early June. The campaign has prompted a review of public spaces in London and elsewhere on symbols of racism, colonialism and slave trade.
