Gandhi: Behind the Mask of Divinity.Gandhi: Behind the Mask of Divinity G. B. Singh Prometheus ISBN ISBN abbr. International Standard Book Number ISBN International Standard Book Number ISBN n abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m 1573929980, $32.00 355 pp. Mud is one of the most plentiful and cheapest of materials on earth and slinging it is one of the easiest of pastimes. It has been said that the success of a man can be measured by the number of his enemies. It may safely be added that the greatness of a man or woman can be gauged by the amount of mud slung at him or her. The truth is that we humans have a propensity to make titans of ordinary men and women and then comes the equal and opposite reaction of tarring and feathering Tarring and feathering is a physical punishment, at least as old as the Crusades, used to enforce formal justice in feudal Europe and informal justice in Europe and its colonies in the early modern period, as well as the early American frontier, mostly as a type of mob vengeance great man or woman. The mud slung at Gandhi by G.B.Singh only adds to the greatness of the Mahatma mahatma (məhăt`mə, –hät`–) [Sanskrit,=great-souled], honorific title used in India among Hindus for a person of superior holiness. Mohandas Gandhi is the best-known figure to whom the title was applied. . (Mahatma means large minded). I was born into a Catholic family in Kerala on the SW coast of India hardly a month after India gained independence and Godse assassinated as·sas·si·nate tr.v. as·sas·si·nat·ed, as·sas·si·nat·ing, as·sas·si·nates 1. To murder (a prominent person) by surprise attack, as for political reasons. 2. Gandhi. The ecclesiastical establishment was not happy about the independence as the Christian community in India was mostly pro-British, pro-Christian West. Gandhi was painted as a diabolic force by my community. Then the India Government propaganda machinery began churning and Gandhi was painted as one of the greatest men of all times, the Mahatma. According to that propaganda Gandhi lived with the untouchables untouchables: see Harijans. Untouchables lowest caste in India; social outcasts. [Ind. Culture: Brewer Dictionary, 1118] See : Banishment and the scavengers, used the same toilets as they did and even cleaned the toilets. According to the government propaganda this cleaning of toilets was the cause of much friction between him and his wife Kasturba. I am not a student of history and so am not in a position to give a real picture of Gandhi. But I would like to lay before you some facts I know first hand that might belie be·lie tr.v. be·lied, be·ly·ing, be·lies 1. To picture falsely; misrepresent: "He spoke roughly in order to belie his air of gentility" James Joyce. much of what Singh has described in his work. By the time I was six I was put into a primary school run by nuns and subsequently into a high school run by priests. Then I went to a college run by the diocese and last to an engineering college run by the government. All along I had Harijans as classmates Classmates can refer to either:
These communities were considered "outcastes", and were excluded from the Chaturvarna system that was the descriptive social , as there is schedule of such castes and tribes of formerly untouchables. The students belonging to the Scheduled castes and tribes do not have to pay any fees and have special reservation in colleges. Their hostel and food expenses are paid for by the government and they also get a monthly stipend. Once they are through with their education they have special job reservations and get preferential treatment in promotions. All these privileges were there with independence and if Gandhi were casteist as Singh alleges, this would not have come about. I have also heard it said that before he died he forgave for·gave v. Past tense of forgive. forgave Verb the past tense of forgive forgave forgive his assassin, Godse. That does not come easy for an ordinary human being. It may also be noted that Godse was a high caste Hindu and bore a grudge against Gandhi for his secularism sec·u·lar·ism n. 1. Religious skepticism or indifference. 2. The view that religious considerations should be excluded from civil affairs or public education. . Gandhi could very well have chosen to become India's first ruler. Instead he gave way to Nehru and that too does not come easy for an ordinary human being. If Gandhi had chosen to lead the new government he would have been well protected and he might in all probability have not been assassinated. As a result India would have had Gandhi's grandsons and granddaughters-in-law ruling India instead of Nehru's. By the way, people in the West have the misconception that the Gandhis ruling India today are descendents of the Mahatma Gandhi. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The ruling Gandhis of India are not even remotely related to the Mahatma. I have read an essay or two by Mahatma Gandhi and there are two quotations attributed to him that I still remember after so many decades. One is 'If you take an eye for an eye, then the whole world will finally go blind' and the second quotation is 'No one can insult you without your permission' Then there are a series of advices attributed to him and displayed at many government offices and businesses across India and these stress the necessity of serving the customers and the people. He had his faults. He advocated self sufficient villages. This was economic naivete na·ive·té or na·ïve·té n. 1. The state or quality of being inexperienced or unsophisticated, especially in being artless, credulous, or uncritical. 2. An artless, credulous, or uncritical statement or act. and a pointer to his total ignorance of macro and micro economics. Khuswant Singh, a turbaned Sikh from the same community as G.B.Singh, has also written a defamatory treatise on Gandhi. In his works he has alleged that the aged Gandhi slept with naked girls on either side to test his self-control. Chairman Mao has also been accused of sleeping with virgins every night. But then Mao had the absolute power to enforce every wish of his. Gandhi had no such power in pre-independent India and if there were even the inkling of such sexual misdemeanor on the part of Gandhi, the English would have been the first to pounce on the opportunity to denigrate den·i·grate tr.v. den·i·grat·ed, den·i·grat·ing, den·i·grates 1. To attack the character or reputation of; speak ill of; defame. 2. Gandhi. I have seen news reels of Gandhi leaning on the shoulders of young girls as he walked. In my own society it is and was perceived as a misdemeanor. But then I am not in a position to judge Gandhi by the same yardstick, as he belonged a distant society and a distant period from mine. Even if there were misdemeanors and shortcomings on his part they only serve to highlight the greatness of a fallible fal·li·ble adj. 1. Capable of making an error: Humans are only fallible. 2. Tending or likely to be erroneous: fallible hypotheses. man. 
Even if there were misdemeanors and shortcomings on his part they only serve to highlight the greatness of a fallible man.
How interesting that this blogger decides to point out that both Khushwant Singh and GB Singh belong to the same community ...does this add to his biased argument? Or that he himself is a Christian and therefore his observations are correct. Untouchables have been shown some concessions by the India government to appease their discontent, nothing to do with Gandhi but sheer politics. I am a Hindu from the same caste as Gandhi, was around in India when Gandhi was alive and I can say without a doubt that Gandhi was a racist but very able to play the political card, observe this comment on his so-called poverty act and being above human desires:<br><br>Sarojini Naidu once quipped about Gandhi: ‘Bapu, it costs us a fortune to keep you poor.’<br><br>
How interesting that this blogger decides to point out that both Khushwant Singh and GB Singh belong to the same community ...does this add to his biased argument? Or that he himself is a Christian and therefore his observations are correct. Untouchables have been shown some concessions by the India government to appease their discontent, nothing to do with Gandhi but sheer politics. I am a Hindu from the same caste as Gandhi, was around in India when Gandhi was alive and I can say without a doubt that Gandhi was a racist but very able to play the political card, observe this comment on his so-called poverty act and being above human desires:<br><br>Sarojini Naidu once quipped about Gandhi: ‘Bapu, it costs us a fortune to keep you poor.’<br> |
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