Modi govt economically incompetent as UPA, business community disappointed: William Dalrymple

Noted historian and author William Dalrymple is no stranger to controversies. But he seems to be ready to put his most recent kerfuffle with fellow author Aatish Taseer behind him. At a recent cocktail and book reading event, he spoke to ETPanache about his encounter with Taseer. "I saw him at the India Art Fair and we waved at each other in a friendly manner , " Dalrymple says. "I respect him as a writer and he has done a remarkable translation of Manto. If he chooses not to come to JLF (Jaipur Lit Fest, where Dalrymple is co-director) that's his decision and I respect it."

Taseer had declined Dalrymple's invitation for this year's JLF unless he discussed Taseer's latest book.

Dalrymple too is working on a new book. It is about the East India Company. "It'll cover the period 1739-1803, from Nadir Shah's invasion to the moment the British conquer Delhi and take Shah Alam under their 'protection'," he says. "It's a story spanning 60 years. The Britishers taking over India is actually the story of a corporation - The East India Company. It was a business deal."

Dalrymple expressed some concern about India's political climate, but said personally he hadn't been affected.

"People voted for Modi to be the Prime Minister to save the economy," he said. "Instead, what they have got is a government which seems to be as economically incompetent as the last. The business community is hugely disappointed. There is a lot of nonsense with ghar wapsi and so on, and the RSS seems to be more powerful than before," he added.

"There has been a great anxiety among writers at the state of affairs at the centre, though I haven't suffered any problems personally."