Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday said the Bombay High Court asking an activist to explain why he kept a copy of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace was “truly bizarre”.
“Welcome to New India,” the Congress leader said, a day after the Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon case accused Vernon Gonsalves to explain why he kept “objectionable material” like a copy of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace and some CDs at his home.
Justice Sarang Kotwal, hearing the bail plea of Mr. Gonsalves and others, also said “such books” and CDs prima facie indicated they contained some material against the State.
Also read | ‘Why have you kept ‘War And Peace’ book at home,’ Bombay HC asks Vernon Gonsalves in Bhima-Koregaon case
“Truly bizarre that somebody is being asked by a judge of the Bombay High Court to explain why he has copy of Tolstoy’s War & Peace , a true classic. And to think Tolstoy was a major influence on the Mahatma. Welcome to New India!” Mr. Ramesh tweeted.
The classic novel about Russia during the Napoleonic wars became a point of contention after the Pune police claimed the book was part of the “highly incriminating evidence” it had seized from Mr. Gonsalves’ house in Mumbai during raids conducted a year ago.
Also read | Nothing against Gonsalves as of now, govt. tells HC
The Pune police also read out titles of several other books and CDs allegedly recovered from Mr. Gonsalves’ house, which included CDs titled Rajya Daman Virodh released by Kabir Kala Manch.
“The title of the CD Rajya Daman Virodhi itself suggests it has something against the State while War and Peace is about a war in another country. Why did you [Gonsalves] keep objectionable material such as books like War and Peace , books and CDs at home? You will have to explain this to the court,” said Justice Kotwal.
