The Gujarat government has banned Joseph Lelyveld's controversial book, Great Soul: Mahatma Gandhi and His struggle with India, which allegedly calls the Father of the Nation a racist and bisexual.
A resolution to ban the sale, distribution and reprint of the book was moved in the Assembly on Wednesday by Chief Minister Narendra Modi and promptly supported by Leader of the Opposition Shaktisinh Gohil of the Congress. It was adopted unanimously and the government later issued a notification.
The resolution requested the Centre to impose a similar ban all over the country and officially condemn the American writer's “deplorable attempts to malign the great son of India.”
Mr. Modi said no one in his right mind could accept the writer's distorted notions on the life and actions of the Mahatma, who had earned respect and adorations from the people all over the world for his principles. “The people of Gujarat will never tolerate such insult to Gandhiji.”
Mr Gohil said the government and the people of the State should take such action that no one in future would dare to “use such dirty words for the Mahatma” and paint him in a poor light. All parties in the State should jointly burn effigies of the writer “to express our anger.”
Keywords: Joseph Lelyveld, book ban
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Indeed, we are happy to see that Gujarat has produced such an eminent person like the Father of our country, Mahatma Gandhi. And we hope that many more such illustrious personalities continue to emerge from Gujarat in the future too.
But banning the book is not a right step in a democratic milieu, and needs to be revised. Democracy is about allowing different views, and ways of life, and celebrating diversity. Truth will prevail, Satyameva Jayate. Banning a book will not help this ideal. There are so many things to be done which are of more important nature in Gujarat, and I wish the State Govt will devote time and energy to those things.