A letter to Krishna Kumar on his book “1942: When British Rule in India was Threatened”

Dear author,

I was so overwhelmed with your insights and historical facts (you provided) that I have to write this letter to you. Let me start with a childhood memory. I was in 8th or 9th standard most probably. The “Gadar party” part in my History textbook, especially, Gandhiji’s treatment of Sahid Bhagat Singh used to make me angry. That time my inner child was not able to understand that frustated anger. But, now I do. Your book and the character analysis of Gandhiji helped me a lot to understand that childhood anger.

How ironic, right? We do not remember Sahid Bhagat Singhor revolutionary, freedom fighter Batukeshwar Dutt with the same intensity that we offer to Gandhiji.

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But was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi really worth it? Let me repeat some facts I found highly suspicious in your book.

* “By 1920 path was clear for Gandhiji to take over the leadership of the Congress party…….”

*”Justifying support to the British during World War I, later, Gandhiji wrote, ‘ If we would improve our status through the help and cooperation of the British, it was our duty to win their help by standing by them in their hour of need.”

*”Praise from the British, massive favorable media coverage in English papers which then percolated down to language press, the launch of two newspapers by Gandhiji, ‘Young India’ in English and ‘Navjivan’ in Gujarati, and a carefully built persona as a Hindu saint allowed Gandhiji to dominate the narratives and the………..”

* “Gandhi stuck a deal with the Viceroy Lord Irwin and, in exchange for prisoner release and other concessions, halted the civil disobedience…. settlement done by Gandhiji was so one-sided that even Nehru, who was his ardent supporter, had told him that he, Gandhi, had ‘unwittingly sold India.”

Moreover, those dents (mentioned in your book) with their spider webs sound so satisfactory as they made 1942, “the most turbulent and challenging year since 1857”. Especially, the details of Japanese attacks and relevant strategies are so haunting that I have to mention them. The “surround from all side” strategy and British pride are major catalysts here. Wartime Malay and Singapore with their impact on British economic instruments (exports, ferry services, resource pooling, warships) are great.

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Two major things I learn from your book is the true nature (highly corrupted) of the East India Company and impacts of World War II. The first one shocks me to the core with its wicked “cash cow”, “divide and rule”, “social disruption”, “revenue recovery system”, and “opium deal” policies. Even Muslims were divided into “Shia, Sunni, Ahmadiyya, Khoja, Ashraf, Ajlaf, and Arlaf”, etc. However, the World War II was somewhat beneficial to us. The “overlords” could not deal with “bicycle blitzkrieg” and other modern war strategies.

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Overall, a unique reflection on our history. I am looking forward to more of your Rapid Reads series.

Thanking you,

Your faithfully,

Morena, The reader

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