Father of the Nation ?

Father of the Nation is a great title for a country that has over 5000 years of History. And all the history books and articles that we read will definitely indicate that Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is worthy of this title. Gandhi managed to do what was never done before and has not done since, which is uniting the people of India for a common cause (any cause).

However, there are notes, articles, stories never told. The truth and validity of these are not what I am here to validate. I am only trying to highlight these for you all to read and maybe think that there were sides of the great man that we did not know and actions, which ultimately harmed the nation.

1. Partition - Was partition right? Was partition the only option ? Gandhiji had said Partition of the country would be over his dead body. But that never happened. Mohammed Ali Jinnah has been conveniently blamed for the partition. Yes, Jinnah did bluff about a separate Pakistan but he wanted to use it as a ploy to get equal rights for Muslims in India. Jinnah the leader of the founder of the Muslim league was a Whiskey drinking, Pork eating secularist was dead against religious extremism. He constantly was working for equal rights for Muslims in India, and was prepared to work for one united India. So what happened? If India had remained united - Jinnah was in all likelihood become prime minister and Nehru would have none of it. His close (romantic) relationship with lady Mount batten, The English's ideology to divide and rule, Winston Churchill who openly admitted to hating Indians, Gandhi's nexus with Churchill and his lack of will to go against Nehru's idea were all the cause for Partition. To satisfy a few people's ideas millions of lives were lost, several more millions displaced, Secular Hindus and Muslims forced to define themselves by religion. Probably, one of the worst human and economic disasters in Modern era. One creditable view is that Nehru deliberately misled Gandhi on the implications of such a partition.

2. Subash Chandra Bose - Gandhi saw subash chandra bose as a possible alternate for leadership and wanted to eliminate him so the center of power would never get compromised. There are stories and strong evidence pointing to a nexus to eliminate Bose. Here is interesting reading which seems to substantiate the controversy. There was an interesting blog in sulekha for reading http://premendra.sulekha.com/blog/post/2006/05/who-killed-netaji.htm

3. Bhagat Singh - Bhagat Singh's disillusion with Mr. Gandhi's methods is well known. And Gandhi hated anyone who opposed his views and methods - There was no freedom or democracy here. Bhagat Singh had his own methods of fighting for freedom like the smoke bomb in parliament etc. However, the two theories before he was hanged are a). The British asked Gandhi if they should pardon Bhagat Singh and the 'Mahatma' did not oppose his hanging. b) Gandhi actively conspired with the British to have Bhagat Singh hanged. More reading again from Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagat_Singh

4. Relationship with Nehru and impact - Gandhi was immensely close to Nehru, to the extent that he would not hear reason if Nehru's name was part of any discussion. It was Gandhi's threat to go on fast onto death that overturned the votes that was unanimously in favor of the Iron Man Sardar Patel from becoming the prime minister and made Nehru India's first prime minister. In the process the ‘Mahatma’ committed homicide of democracy as we know it. Quoting from Wikipedia - "The Congress held a presidential election in the knowledge that its chosen leader would become India's head of government. 11 Congress state units nominated Vallabhbhai Patel, while only the Working Committee suggested Nehru. Sensing that Nehru would not accept second place to Patel and that Nehru had a wider appeal, Gandhi supported Nehru and asked Patel to withdraw, which he immediately did. Nehru's election surprised many Congressmen and continues to be a source of controversy in modern times".
Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawaharlal_Nehru

5. Nathuram Godse - Godse will forever be remembered as the killer of Gandhi. By no means I am I defending what Godse did. But the impact it had on the future of the country is tremendous. Godse, I believe shot Gandhi for two reasons 1. Because Gandhi insisted on partition and 2. Because he insisted on going on a Fast onto death until the Indian Government paid Pakistan 55 Crores. Even thought the government had rejected this idea, Gandhi was pushing it and threatening with the fast onto death, like children cry when they absolutely want something like a toy in the store. There is a story - when Gandhi was going to meet Jinnah a young man was laying in front of the car when police dragged him away he is believed to have said 'My name is Nathuram Godse. We don't mind a Muslim prime minister, but Bapuji, don't agree to Partition'.

6. Sleeping naked with Women - It is now widely known that Gandhi shared his bed with young women as part of his experiments in brahmacharya, a Sanskrit word usually translated as "celibacy," but generally understood as the ultimate state of yogic self-control. He even used to sleep with his grand niece Manu naked. I do not wish to write or speak more about it, I am sure as intelligent reader you can draw your own conclusions. But you can read more on his sexual practices at http://www.class.uidaho.edu/ngier/gantan5000.htm

7. Eating Habits and Comforts in prison - There are stories, none very creditable though about how Gandhi's meals were so expensive because of Dry fruits and exotic fruit juices. There are also stories about how the British had given the Mahatma great comforts in prison with food and everything and he was completely oblivious to the beating and torture of others in adjacent cells. There is not much in terms of literature to substantiate these. Is this not how the world works - we hear and see only what we are forced to hear and see.

8. The film 'Gandhi, My Father' - Is a film by Gandhi's son Harilal Gandhi. The film is supposed to be 'factual' and 'honest' account of the unexplored side of Mahatma Gandhi's life. The films essence is about how the Mahatma ignored his family and his children. And how Harilal roams the streets like a beggar, converts to Islam as rebellion then reconverts to Hinduism and finally drinks himself to death.

9. Hey Ram at death - In order to portray the Mahatma as a devote Hindu, people have appeared to have slipped the ‘Hey Ram’ phrase into his lips as he was dying. People who were close to him at the time of death have contradicted this. Venkita Kalyanam, former personal assistant to Mr. Gandhi, said that he was present at the spot and Gandhi did not utter a single word. More reading @ http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Gandhi/HeRam_gandhi.html