Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: The Centre is contemplating to ban a controversial book on Mahatma Gandhi by Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Joseph Lelyveld. Lelyveld, the former editor of The New York Times in his book Great Soul: Mahatma Gandhi and His Struggle with India quoted correspondence to suggest that Mahatma Gandhi was “bisexual”.
As per a report published in a national daily, the government has taken serious view of the book.
“The disgraceful statement on the Father of the Nation is demeaning the nation,” Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily said during his visit to Congress Bhavan in Pune.
Moily’s statement came amidst Maharashtra and Gujarat governments call to the Union government to ban the book.
"The government will initiate steps to ensure that the book is not published in the state," Maharashtra Industries Minister Narayan Rane said.
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Manikrao Thakre said, "This is very serious that the author of the book has raised questions about the character of Gandhiji who initiated non-violence movement. I condemn the book and this should not be made available".
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi too urged the Central government to ban the book.
“The apostle of truth, peace and non-violence has been represented in a perverted manner. I urge the Central government to ban its (book’s) sale and publication,’” Modi told reporters in Gandhinagar.
