New Book Sheds Light on Gandhi's Dark Origins
Gandhi Under Cross-Examination
By G. B. Singh and Tim Watson
Sovereign Star, June 2009
ISBN: 978-0-9814992-2-2
www.SovStar.com
SAN FRANCISCO, July 14, 2009 – In “Gandhi Under Cross-Examination,” authors Col. G. B. Singh and Dr. Tim Watson provide a critical analysis of Mohandas Gandhi’s 21 years living in South Africa.
In 1893, Gandhi claims to have suffered a series of racial humiliations while traveling by train through colonial South Africa. The most infamous of these incidents was when Gandhi was reportedly thrown from a train in Pietermaritzburg after refusing to move from a first to a third-class seat to accommodate a white man’s demands. Most historians credit this event, which featured prominently in the “Gandhi” film, with galvanizing Gandhi to fight against white imperialism and the burgeoning apartheid system.
Singh and Watson evaluate the evidence for these pivotal incidents, rigorously exploring the origins of the “Mahatma” in their pursuit of historical truth. They call Gandhi himself to the witness stand, weaving courtroom drama into the text to expose his deceptive accounts of the train journey. Along the way, they examine Gandhi’s voluntary service as a British Sergeant Major during a war to suppress the Zulus, which he claims inspired his vow of celibacy and poverty. The authors also investigate Gandhi’s relationship with the black natives of South Africa and how he has influenced India and the modern world.
In the foreword, Prof. Lewis Baldwin writes: “Singh and Watson challenge us to take a new and more serious and critical look at Gandhi’s personality and values, and to come to conclusions based on the evidence in Gandhi’s own accounts of his struggle with racism. Only then can we, as Singh and Watson suggest, intelligently distinguish between Gandhi the historical figure and Gandhi the iconic symbol. This is a challenge that no human being should ignore in this age of cynicism, violence, and terror.”
There are thousands of books about Gandhi, but this is one of the few willing to place his claims under the lens of historical scrutiny. “Gandhi Under Cross-Examination” is available for purchase through the publisher, Amazon, and other online retailers.
Col. G. B. Singh (Ret.) served in the U.S. Army. He is a professional student of Indian politics, world religions, and the life and teachings of Gandhi. He lives in Tennessee, USA.
Dr. Tim Watson teaches philosophy and communications and hosts a weekly radio show. He lives in Toronto, Canada.
Dr. Lewis Baldwin is a Martin Luther King, Jr. scholar who teaches at Vanderbilt University. He lives in Tennessee, USA.
Interviews with the authors and complimentary review copies are available upon request.