The truth about Tata Group is dirty, complex, uncomfortable, and too often ignored: A thread 🧵 1. Roots in Colonialism: Tata didn’t just survive under the British they thrived. Jamsetji named his fi rst mill “Empress Mills” in honor of Queen Victoria. Their steel and textiles literally supported British war e ff orts. So much for nationalist pride. --- 2. Opium Funded Empire: Jamsetji’s father worked for the East India Company in the opium trade. Yes, the one that exploited Indian farmers and addicted entire China. --- 3. Bhagat Singh Saw It Coming: He warned in 1930: “What’s the di ff erence if Britishers rule or rich Indians like Tatas?”. He saw capitalist exploitation as a new face of the same old oppression. He was right. --- 4. Post-Independence: Same Tactics, New Government: Tata used the colonial-era Land Acquisition Act to seize farmland in Singur (2006). Farmers protested. One committed suicide. Supreme Court called it illegal. Still, Tata got ₹ 766 Cr compensation in 2023. Farmers? Trauma. --- 5. Killed for Unionizing? In 1995, the president of Tata Workers’ Union, V.G. Gopal, was murdered. Why? He opposed casual labour practices. Allegedly, other union members were bribed to stay quiet. Not a single corporate accountability move by Tata. 6. Kalinganagar: Blood for Steel 2006: 13 Adivasi protestors shot dead during protests against Tata Steel’s Odisha project. The land was “gifted” by the state, people were displaced without consent. 7. Tea Plantation Scandal: 2013: NGOs accused Tata’s APPL tea estates of: —Poor wages — Unsafe chemical handling — Worker death — Dirty housing World Bank con fi rmed violations. Case still open. --- 8. Silencing the Media: When the Radia Tapes leaked in 2010 (revealing shady lobbying), media houses BLACKED OUT the story. Why? Tata spends crores on ads. They even told group companies to avoid “critical” news outlets. --- 9. “Charity” for Control: Tata Trusts control 66% of Tata Sons Allegations of insider trading 2013: CAG report says they used charitable tax exemptions to make pro fi ts. 10. Air India Crash: June 2025: AI171 crashes. 270+ dead. Tata immediately o ff ers INR 1.25 Cr per family. Without even investigation, we started blaming Boeing, where did the narrative come from? The Tata Group isn’t a villain. But it’s no saint either. Its legacy includes colonial pro fi ts, labor abuse, land grabs, lobbying, and media control. Time we move past the myth of ethical capitalism and look at the full picture. Prepare by Keshav Note: All information presented in this report has been sourced from credible and available in the public domain