<!--QuoteBegin-kalyansarkar+Oct 12 2006, 06:39 AM-->QUOTE(kalyansarkar @ Oct 12 2006, 06:39 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->I have the the feeling that ordinary Hindus believed Gandhi to be an avatar. One wonders how Netaji after being insulted in 1938 named a brigade in the INA after Gandhi just a few years later.
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Spot on. Yes, ordinary Hindus feel Gandhi to be an avatar. I had even read some book by a Yogi, telling about his experience on Gandhiji, that Gandhiji was born with some kalas of Vishnu. and so on. Even Paramhansa Yogananda, and Beseant wrote very highly about him, spiritually.
For masses of rural India, he was no less than a demigod.
That exactly is why the assassination of Gandhi has hurt Hindutva forces inside and outside congress party a great deal, and the loss is irrepairable.
And also let us not get carried away in his criticism. For all his shortcomings of political insight, let us give Gandhiji his due credit. The scale of movement, and mass appeal, did not exist before Gandhi came on the scene. Tilak, Bipin Chandra, Lala Lajpat Rai etc. had evoked masses, but it was limited to citites of some states only. Gandhi transformed it into really large and rural movement. He also stopped missionaries in their heels. Credit is indeed due to him.
Just before Gandhiji was killed, Congress was already being transformed into Hindutva party. While Sardar was leading that group, Dr. Shayamaprasad Mukherjee, Acharya Kriplani, GB Pant etc were clearcut second line. But after Gandhiji's assassination, all tables were turned, and noone within Congress was able to even take the name of Hindutva. Nehru used the event to also malign Savarkar totally and completely. Although legally acquitted, from public support standpoint, Savarkar never came out of that episode.
Now why Netaji would name a brigade for Gandhi. Netaji was a great opportunitist and strategist, and very well knew how to use all propoganda to generate mass support. He even appeased muslims to bring them into INA! He had no objections to allying with either the Hitler, or Stalin! So he know what he wanted, and did not let the means limit him in acheiving the goals.
[right][snapback]58962[/snapback][/right]
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Spot on. Yes, ordinary Hindus feel Gandhi to be an avatar. I had even read some book by a Yogi, telling about his experience on Gandhiji, that Gandhiji was born with some kalas of Vishnu. and so on. Even Paramhansa Yogananda, and Beseant wrote very highly about him, spiritually.
For masses of rural India, he was no less than a demigod.
That exactly is why the assassination of Gandhi has hurt Hindutva forces inside and outside congress party a great deal, and the loss is irrepairable.
And also let us not get carried away in his criticism. For all his shortcomings of political insight, let us give Gandhiji his due credit. The scale of movement, and mass appeal, did not exist before Gandhi came on the scene. Tilak, Bipin Chandra, Lala Lajpat Rai etc. had evoked masses, but it was limited to citites of some states only. Gandhi transformed it into really large and rural movement. He also stopped missionaries in their heels. Credit is indeed due to him.
Just before Gandhiji was killed, Congress was already being transformed into Hindutva party. While Sardar was leading that group, Dr. Shayamaprasad Mukherjee, Acharya Kriplani, GB Pant etc were clearcut second line. But after Gandhiji's assassination, all tables were turned, and noone within Congress was able to even take the name of Hindutva. Nehru used the event to also malign Savarkar totally and completely. Although legally acquitted, from public support standpoint, Savarkar never came out of that episode.
Now why Netaji would name a brigade for Gandhi. Netaji was a great opportunitist and strategist, and very well knew how to use all propoganda to generate mass support. He even appeased muslims to bring them into INA! He had no objections to allying with either the Hitler, or Stalin! So he know what he wanted, and did not let the means limit him in acheiving the goals.