Sonia Gandhi released the book Mohandas, written by Mahatama Gandhi’s grandson Rajmohan Gandhi in the Capital on Sunday evening, and the audience included politicians, the former attorney-general, and of course Gandhi’s descendants, including his great-grandchildren.
“It tells us how Gandhi empowered the vulnerable Indian and also how Indians empowered him, and also gives us fascinating portrayals of his colleagues. This book tells the gripping story of Gandhi’s struggle within himself,” said Sonia Gandhi.
But while the author is more than happy to be able to portray Gandhi’s human side, he’s
less pleased about all the literary gossip on his motives for the four pages he’s written
about Gandhi and arguably the love of his life, Sarla Devi.
“I was lucky to have the family connection, the blood connection. The Sarla Devi incident
was not a secret, it was published in my The Good Boatman 10 years ago. So to imagine that suddenly I have plucked something out of the closet is a gross exaggeration,” says Rajmohan Gandhi.
With Gandhigiri in 2006 and three books in 2007, it certainly looks like Gandhi is back in
fashion. “These days a film has brought into parlance a word, which is Gandhigiri, that also has a positive connotation, it’s intended for the common man,” said senior BJP leader, L K Advani.
“Whether it is skin-deep or soul-deep remains to be seen. It’s very good people are
interpreting in their own way. Perhaps once can say Gandhi has finally been liberated from
the Gandhians,” said Rajmohan Gandhi.