Book offers a critique of Mahatma Gandhi's 'Hind Swaraj'

Also, while he himself spoke and wrote excellent English, he was, in general, against Indians learning any English. Talwar, however, says Gandhis ideas on non-violence are profound and should, in an ideal word, shape not only Indias future but the worlds future.This particular chapter in Hind Swaraj is full of brilliant insights.

Author-playwright Rajesh Talwar has come out with a book which he says is a critique of Mahatma Gandhi's ''Hind Swaraj'' and exposes the contradictions and flaws in his rejection of modernity, industrialisation and Western thought.

''Hind Swaraj'' is considered one of the most significant works of Gandhi, which he penned during his return from England to South Africa in November 1909. Banned by the British in 1910, this book is a clarion call for Indians to realise the criticality of unshackling from the bondage of imperialism.

Talwar's ''The Mahatma's Manifesto'' has been published by Om Publications.

According to Talwar, Gandhi was a complex personality.

''Though I remain a huge admirer of Gandhi and his contributions to the cause of Indian independence; at the same time, there is so much of Gandhi that needs to be discarded, and in that respect many of his views, as expressed in 'Hind Swaraj' need to be ignored and fully discarded,'' he says.

Talwar says when he first read ''Hind Swaraj'', he was really startled, if not shocked by its contents.

''Many of Gandhi's views were clearly not only archaic but also patriarchal and regressive,'' he says.

The author says there is much to admire in Gandhi and his greatness is beyond dispute, but insofar as ''Hind Swaraj'' is concerned, it ''deserves to be roundly criticized and debunked''. He goes on to claim: ''Had it been up to Gandhi he would have done away with the railways and industrialisation. He was against machines; he hated cities. Also, while he himself spoke and wrote excellent English, he was, in general, against Indians learning any English.'' Talwar, however, says Gandhi's ideas on non-violence are profound and should, in an ideal word, shape not only India's future but the world's future.

''This particular chapter in 'Hind Swaraj' is full of brilliant insights. It would be fair to say that it is the only redeeming part of the book. When I criticize Gandhi or his writings in 'Hind Swaraj', this does not mean that I do not value the good that he had done for the country, and even for the world in shaping the narrative around conflicts and wars,'' he says.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)