RSSchief Mohan Bhagwat will release a book hailing Mahatma Gandhi as the"biggest Hindu patriot" on the first day of the new year.
OnJanuary 1, Modi government ministers Prahlad Patel and V. Muraleedharan willparticipate in the release ceremony of this book titled 'Making of a HinduPatriot' by authors J.K. Bajaj and M.D. Srinivas, at Rajghat here.
Bhagwathad also released a book in February this year, appealing to build Gandhi'sdream of India. Bhagwat had said, "Gandhiji had many times describedhimself as a staunch 'Sanatani Hindu'. He was never ashamed of being a Hinduhimself.
J.K.Bajajis the founding director of the Centre for Policy Studies and a member of theIndian Council of Social Science Research, and is also a member of thecommission constituted by the central government to subclass the OBCs. M.D.Srinivas is the founder president of the Centre for Policy Studies.
Bajaj said, "Gandhiji was a born Hindu, but he became a strong Hindu in thedays of his experience in South Africa. What is it like to be a Hindu? Helearned this during his struggle in South Africa. Gandhiji openly used to say -'My patriotism is increasing and this patriotism originates from myreligion'."
Bajajsaid that Mahatma Gandhi refused when Christian and Muslim friends tried toconvert him while living in South Africa. During this time he started anin-depth study about Sanatan Dharma which further strengthened his Hinduidentity.
Thebook gives the background of Gandhi's 'Hind Swaraj'. There are many interestingdetails ranging from the development of Gandhiji's personality and thecampaigns he undertook during his stay in South Africa. The book also narratesthe story of how Gandhi's developed 'Satyagraha' at the historic meeting onSeptember 11, 1906 at the Empire Theatre in Johannesburg. The chapter titled 'TheSouth African Jail Diary' also tells the story of the torture in prison enduredby Gandhi and his supporters.
Thebook also describes the correspondence between the great Russian writer andphilosopher Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi. The book states that it was Tolstoywho first gave Mahatma Gandhi the title of 'Hindu Patriot'.
Thebook claims Tolstoy was a fan of all aspects of Gandhi except his 'Hindupatriotism'. It also has information about two meetings held in July 1914during Gandhiji's arrival from South Africa in which he received the title of'Patriot Mahatma'.