On Gandhi Jayanti, Gujarat governor launches book praising Modi non-violence, following Mahatma's footseps

By Our Representative
In a controversial move, Gujarat governor OP Kohli on the Gandhi Jayanti Day unveiled a book which claims to highlight "ideological parallels” between Mahatma Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on “key themes” of non-violence, nationalism, poverty and inclusive development.
Titled ‘Mahatma Gandhi to Modi’, the book has been authored by Rajeshkumar Acharya, a specialist in pharmaceutical chemistry and a practicing lawyer with focus on intellectual property rights, and Girishchandra Tanna, a retired government official. The book was being offered a 30% concession in order to “promote” it.
During the book launch ceremony, neither Kohli, nor the two authors, once recalled Modi's role – positive or negative – in the 2002 Gujarat riots, in which more than 1000 people died, nor did they refer to his other controversial decisions, such as refusal to provide scholarship to minority students, calling it “appeasement.”
Without also referring to criticism on Modi, under attack within the country and abroad for “stifling” dissenting voices and civil society, and remaining silent on “increasing” attacks on minorities and the marginalized, one of the authors, Acharya, said the Prime Minister has set “new precedents for people striving for liberty and equality across the globe.”
Acharya also talked of how Modi's ideas included the idea of “a single unified nation, non-violent struggle, self-reliance and inclusivity” – something that Gandhi stood for. It is not known whether the book as a special chapter of violence that occurred during the 2002 riots and its aftermath, leading to thousands of minority community people becoming displaced.
Claiming that there has been a vacuum so far on Gandhi's thoughts and ideologies about “education, health, rural development, employment, female development, and industrial development”, which have remained “untouched” in the intellectual sphere, the authors suggest, this is one reason why they had decided to come up with a book on Modi's quest to follow the Mahatma.
Charactering the book as "thought-provoking”, Kohli, launching it at a Raj Bhavan ceremony, praised the authors for having "narrated the convictions and commitments" of Modi, adding, "They have highlighted the accomplishments of Modi, deeply inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Swami Vivekanand."
The authors believe the proof of Modi being inspired by Gandhi lies in his admiration of the Mahatma Gandhi in his “speeches”, adding, the development model Modi has chosen from Gandhi's ideology are – Swachh Bharat, or Clean India, Mission on October 2nd, 2014, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
However, they did not refer to the critics' contention that the Swacch Bharat Mission is singularly silent on the plight of manual scavengers, for whom Gandhi stood all this life.
Other “Gandhian” steps of Modi, he authors believe, are the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna for financial inclusion, and the Make in India campaign as a replica of the Swadeshi doctrine of Mahatma Gandhi.
The book has been published by Nanoland Publishers, a division of little-known Nanoland Group, which claims to be a “knowledge pool of rising talents" working on the role of nanotechnology in “the advancement of space technology and demystify the unexplored universe.”

Comments

Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan raises concerns over Jharkhand Adivasis' plight in Assam, BJP policies

By Our Representative The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan (Save Democracy Campaign) has issued a pressing call to protect Adivasi rights in Jharkhand, highlighting serious concerns over the treatment of Jharkhandi Adivasis in Assam. During a press conference in Ranchi on November 9, representatives from Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh criticized the current approach of BJP-led governments in these states, arguing it has exacerbated Adivasi struggles for rights, land, and cultural preservation.

Promoting love or instilling hate and fear: Why is RSS seeking a meeting with Rahul Gandhi?

By Ram Puniyani* India's anti-colonial struggle was marked by a diverse range of social movements, one of the most significant being Hindu-Muslim unity and the emergence of a unified Indian identity among people of all religions. The nationalist, anti-colonial movement championed this unity, best embodied by Mahatma Gandhi, who ultimately gave his life for this cause. Gandhi once wrote, “The union that we want is not a patched-up thing but a union of hearts... Swaraj (self-rule) for India must be an impossible dream without an indissoluble union between the Hindus and Muslims of India. It must not be a mere truce... It must be a partnership between equals, each respecting the religion of the other.”

Right-arm fast bowler who helped West Indies shape arguably greatest Test team in cricket history

By Harsh Thakor* Malcolm Marshall redefined what it meant to be a right-arm fast bowler, challenging the traditional laws of biomechanics with his unique skill. As we remember his 25th death anniversary on November 4th, we reflect on the legacy he left behind after his untimely death from colon cancer. For a significant part of his career, Marshall was considered one of the fastest and most formidable bowlers in the world, helping to shape the West Indies into arguably the greatest Test team in cricket history.

Andhra team joins Gandhians to protest against 'bulldozer action' in Varanasi

By Rosamma Thomas* November 1 marked the 52nd day of the 100-day relay fast at the satyagraha site of Rajghat in Varanasi, seeking the restoration of the 12 acres of land to the Sarva Seva Sangh, the Gandhian organization that was evicted from the banks of the river. Twelve buildings were demolished as the site was abruptly taken over by the government after “bulldozer” action in August 2023, even as the matter was pending in court.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Will Left victory in Sri Lanka deliver economic sovereignty plan, go beyond 'tired' IMF agenda?

By Atul Chandra, Vijay Prashad* On September 22, 2024, the Sri Lankan election authority announced that Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) alliance won the presidential election. Dissanayake, who has been the leader of the left-wing JVP since 2014, defeated 37 other candidates, including the incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP) and his closest challenger Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.

Will Bangladesh go Egypt way, where military ruler is in power for a decade?

By Vijay Prashad* The day after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka, I was on the phone with a friend who had spent some time on the streets that day. He told me about the atmosphere in Dhaka, how people with little previous political experience had joined in the large protests alongside the students—who seemed to be leading the agitation. I asked him about the political infrastructure of the students and about their political orientation. He said that the protests seemed well-organized and that the students had escalated their demands from an end to certain quotas for government jobs to an end to the government of Sheikh Hasina. Even hours before she left the country, it did not seem that this would be the outcome.

A Marxist intellectual who dwelt into complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape

By Harsh Thakor* Professor Manoranjan Mohanty has been a dedicated advocate for human rights over five decades. His work as a scholar and activist has supported revolutionary democratic movements, navigating complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape. His balanced, non-partisan approach to human rights and social justice has made his books essential resources for advocates of democracy.

Tributes paid to pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, who 'dodged' police for 60 yrs

By Harsh Thakor* Jagjit Singh Sohal, known as Comrade Sharma, a pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, passed away on October 20 at the age of 96. Committed to the Naxalite cause and a prominent Maoist leader, Sohal, who succeeded Charu Majumdar, played hide and seek with the police for almost six decades. He was cremated in Patiala.

Search This Blog