Gandhi: The Other Side

This book brings out the fact that most of the Gandhian thoughts and ideas were regressive, backward, irrational, illogical, impractical, and products of faulty comprehension. They were founded on very limited study, and on stubborn egoism born out of ‘I know best’. No wonder the ‘Mahatma’ has no legacy worth the name! Most of his ideas were discarded soon after his death—actually, much before his death: from 1944 onwards he stood sidelined. His only visible relevance that we see today is in ‘Swachh Bharat’. True, he advocated cleanliness, but then millions too have been advocating it! It was Gandhi who won us our freedom—so it is claimed. If it were true one would generously ignore all acts of omission and commission, and shortcomings of Gandhi. But, it is not true. Please refer to the chapter ‘What Really Led to Freedom?’ Gandhi had himself admitted: “I see it as clearly as I see my finger: British are leaving not because of any strength on our part but because of historical conditions and for many other reasons.” Most likely, without Gandhi India would have won its freedom, or at least self-government, many years before 1947. Apart from the history of India’s freedom struggle, and Gandhi’s role in it, this book brings out Gandhi’s detailed biography, his beliefs, and the principal aspects of his character and personality. Table of Contents:- 1. A Chronology 2. Gandhi Before South Africa Initial Years: 1869–1887 In London: 1888–91 Back in India: 1891–93 3. Gandhi in South Africa: 1893–1914 Face-to-Face with Racism. 1894: Gandhi Extends His Stay Poll Tax 1896–1897: Back to South Africa, After a Visit to India 1900: Serving the British in Boer War Wacky Gandhian Facet In India during 1901-02 In South Africa, Dec 1902 onwards Helping the British in the Zulu War, 1906 1906–9: Gandhi’s Failed Satyagraha against the Black Act Gandhi’s Farms & Ashrams Racism—the Jarring Facet of Gandhi Summary of Gandhi’s Stay in South Africa 4. Gandhi After South Africa: 1915-1919 Gandhi in London in 1914 Gandhi’s Return from South Africa, 1915 Champaran & Gandhi, 1917 India’s Massive Contribution to WW-I & Gandhi Rowlatt Acts and Rowlatt Satyagraha 1919 Jallianwala Bagh Massacre 1919 5. Phase-I of Gandhian Struggle: 1919-1922 Khalif, Khilafat & Armenian Genocide Defeat of the Ottomans in WW-I & its Consequences Gandhi & Khilafat Unexpectedly, the Movement Gathered Steam Gandhi’s Inexplicable Calling-off of KNCM! Reactions to Gandhi’s Withdrawal of KNCM Caliphate, Atatürk & Gandhi’s Indefensible Stand! Miserable Failure of Gandhi’s First Mass Agitation 6. Phase-II of Gandhian Struggle: 1930-1931 Dandi March & Salt Satyagraha 1930 Salt Satyagraha & Gandhi-Irwin Pact 1931: a Failure Nothing Done by Gandhi to Save Bhagat Singh & Colleagues Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), Phase-II: a Failure 7. Interim Phase: 1931–42 Three Round Table Conferences (RTCs) The Communal Award, Aug–1932 Gandhi’s Fast Forces Poona Pact, Sep–1932 Attitudes towards Depressed Classes 1937 Elections & Rebuff to Jinnah that proved costly Gandhi vs. Subhas: Presidential Election 1939 Gandhi, Congress & WW-II Why the British ignored Gandhi and the Congress? Oct-1940: Selective Individual Disobedience Pearl Harbor, Dec 1941 & its Aftermath Cripps Mission, Mar-Apr 1942 Rajaji (CR) Formula on Pakistan,  Apr-1942 8. Last Phase (III) of the Gandhian Struggle: 1942 Call for “Quit India” & its Background Poor Preparation, Arrests & Flop-Show Gandhi’s Fast, Feb 1943 Quit India Momentum “Quit India” Misgivings among Congress Leaders Release from Jails Failure of “Quit India” 9. Onwards to Freedom & Partition Gandhi’s Parleys with Jinnah, Sep-1944 Sidelining of Gandhi: May 1944 Onwards Major Developments Towards Freedom April 1947: Gandhi’s PM Offer for Jinnah Patel & Partition, the Lesser Evil Jun-1947: VP Menon–Mountbatten Plan AICC Meet to Ratify Partition, backed by Gandhi Could the Partition have been avoided? 55 crores to Pakistan & Gandhi’s Untimely Death Hurried, Irresponsible Partition & Clueless Gandhians 10. What Really Led to Freedom? Was Freedom thanks to Gandhi & the Congress? What They Said Freedom: the Real Reasons Mass Freedom Movement Already there before Gandhi Stellar Role of Revolutionaries & Netaji Subhas Effectiveness of the Constitutional Methods Adverse Effect of Gandhian Intervention Comparison: How & When Other Countries Got Freedom Gandhi’s “My Way or the Highway” Extracts from Lohia’s “Guilty Men of India’s Partition” Nature of the Gandhian Freedom Movement 11. Why the British Loved Gandhi & Gandhians? What the British said What Gandhi said Gandhi & the British Gandhi-Nehru amenable to Union Jack in the National Flag! Top Gandhians: Privileged Freedom Fighters Top Gandhian Leaders: Privileged Prisoners! Tantrums in Ahmednagar Jail Special Treatment for Gandhi & Nehrus Ill-Treatment of Non-Gandhians 12. Nehru Over Sardar as PM :Gandhi’s Mega Blunder 13. Patel, Gandhi & Integration Ofthe Princely States 14. Gandhian Economics & Hind Swaraj Ostentation of Poverty & Related Fads Gandhi & ‘Spiritual Swaraj’—‘Hind Swaraj’ 15. Gandhi & Non-Violence Gandhi’s Ineffective Non-Hindu Concepts Nonsensical Non-Violence Concept Deterrence vs. Gandhi’s Irrational “An Eye for an Eye…” Telling Examples of Gandhian Nonsense on Nonviolence Gandhi’s Crazy Comments on Hitler & Holocaust Tackling Kashmir Non-Violently! Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Qissa Khwani Bazaar Massacre 1930 & Gandhi Gandhi’s Attitude towards Violence by the British Recruitments for the British Army Rowlatt Acts & Gandhi Gandhi’s Non-Violence for Hindu Victims Gandhi’s Absurd Non-Violence Rules Brown-nosing the Powerful & the Adversaries Indifference to Internal & External Security Gandhi’s Preposterous Notions on Bravery 16. Gandhi, Muslims & Appeasement Secularism & Religious Appeasement Gandhi’s Defective Position Illustrative Cases of Gandhian Appeasement Swaraj conditional upon Hindu-Muslim Unity Precedence for Khilafat over Swaraj Moplah Anti-Hindu Attacks, Aug-Sep 1921 Kohat Anti-Hindu Attacks 1939 Anti-Hindu Attacks in Sindh Murder of Swami Shraddhanand Recalling Muslims Muslim League’s Direct Action (Riots), 1946 Noakhali Killings, October 1946 Ambedkar on Gandhi’s Appeasement of Muslims 17. Gandhi, Dalits & Caste-System Gandhi’s Notions on Caste-System Why Gandhi had such regressive views? Gandhi’s shocking action against Dr Khare Yet Another Shocker from Gandhi Gandhi’s Defective Approach to Untouchability Removal Gandhi on Temple Entry Examples of Gandhi’s Contradictory Positions Guruvayur Temple-Entry Satyagraha President of India: Why Not An Untouchable? Untouchability: Only Social/Moral Issue for Gandhi Gandhi & His ‘Harijan Sevak Sangh’ Dr BR Ambedkar on Gandhi & Dalits Rationalising Gandhi’s Defective Approach 18. Gandhi, Brahmacharya & Women What Gandhi Said & Believed What Gandhi Did Gandhi and Saraladebi Gandhi’s Bizarre & Cruel Advice to Kripalanis Unusual & Abnormal Habits & Experiments Evaluating What Gandhi Said & Did 19. Gandhi’s Idiosyncratic Notions, Ways & Fads Religiosity “Mahatma” Gandhi Gandhi & Truth Gandhi & Satyagraha Dictator Gandhi Gandhi & Power Politics Gandhi’s ‘Simple’ Living & His Army of Servers Gandhi’s Ashrams Hand-Spinning Gandhi’s Odd Ways & Arrogance Gandhian Dietetics & Nutritional Quackery Denying Injection to Ailing Kasturba Gandhi’s Verbosity, Odd Notions & Contradictions Gandhi’s Irrational “Intellectualism” & Closed Mind Gandhi & Proselytization 20. Gandhi’s Ill-Treatment of His Family 21. No Serious Studies & Policies by Gandhians Gandhi’s Readings & Writings Gandhi & His Autobiography Gandhi’s Writings Gandhi’s (Mis)interpretations No Serious Studies & Policies by Gandhi & Gandhians 22. What Others Said of Gandhi 23. Gandhi: An Overall Evaluation Bibliography