Gandhi kin, author slam book ban
London: Pulitzer prize-winning author Joseph Lelyveld has opposed the ban on his controversial book on Mahatma Gandhi, describing the move as “shameful”. “In a country (India) that calls itself a democracy, it is shameful to ban a book that no one has read, including the people who are doing the banning,” Lelyveld said, reacting to the ban imposed by Gujarat on his book, which reportedly talks about the sexual preferences of Mahatma Gandhi.
“They should at least make an effort to see the pages that they think offend them before they take such an extreme step. I find it very discouraging to think that India would so limit discussion,” Lelyveld told a news channel. The author of the book titled ‘Great Soul; Mahatma Gandhi and His Struggle With India’, has triggered a controversy, with Gandhi’s kin and historians saying it is an attempt to “sensationalize” the life of the icon of non-violence and showed the “negative” mindset of the author.
Meanwhile, even intellectuals and Gandhi’s relatives themselves have opposed the clamour for a ban, saying banning is not a “democratic response”.
Gandhi’s great grandson Tushar said it would be a “greater insult” to Bapu than the book or the author may have intended. “If Maharashtra bans the book, I will challenge it ,” he tweeted.
“How does it matter if the Mahatma was straight, gay or bisexual? He would still be the man who led India to freedom.” Writer K Sachidanandan said the plans to ban the book should be condemned. “Banning a book is not a democratic action,” he said.
Another writer, Namita Gokhale, said, “Every time a book is banned, it saddens me because you simply cannot ban ideas, you cannot ban thoughts. In India, a democratic space for ideas is a gift and I think banning a book is the most pointless exercise.”
In a country (India) that calls itself a democracy, it is shameful to ban a book that no one has read, including the people who are banning it. They should at least make an effort to see the pages that they think offend them before they take such an extreme step.
I find it very discouraging to think that India would so limit discussion —JOSEPH LELYVELD
 |
| Cover page of the controvercial book by Joseph Lelyveld |
“They should at least make an effort to see the pages that they think offend them before they take such an extreme step. I find it very discouraging to think that India would so limit discussion,” Lelyveld told a news channel. The author of the book titled ‘Great Soul; Mahatma Gandhi and His Struggle With India’, has triggered a controversy, with Gandhi’s kin and historians saying it is an attempt to “sensationalize” the life of the icon of non-violence and showed the “negative” mindset of the author.
Meanwhile, even intellectuals and Gandhi’s relatives themselves have opposed the clamour for a ban, saying banning is not a “democratic response”.
Gandhi’s great grandson Tushar said it would be a “greater insult” to Bapu than the book or the author may have intended. “If Maharashtra bans the book, I will challenge it ,” he tweeted.
“How does it matter if the Mahatma was straight, gay or bisexual? He would still be the man who led India to freedom.” Writer K Sachidanandan said the plans to ban the book should be condemned. “Banning a book is not a democratic action,” he said.
Another writer, Namita Gokhale, said, “Every time a book is banned, it saddens me because you simply cannot ban ideas, you cannot ban thoughts. In India, a democratic space for ideas is a gift and I think banning a book is the most pointless exercise.”
In a country (India) that calls itself a democracy, it is shameful to ban a book that no one has read, including the people who are banning it. They should at least make an effort to see the pages that they think offend them before they take such an extreme step.
I find it very discouraging to think that India would so limit discussion —JOSEPH LELYVELD
No comments:
Post a Comment