Gita Press Embraces Gandhian Principles Over Congress: Reflects Nehruvian Misgivings About Hinduism

Senior Congress leader, Jairam Ramesh, recently criticised the Indian government for awarding the Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 to Gita Press. In response, the contents of Akshaya Mukul’s biography of Gita Press, titled Gita Press and the Making of Hindu India, were used to challenge Ramesh’s criticism. Mukul’s book sheds light on Gita Press’ ties with Gandhi and other freedom fighters before India’s independence, as well as Hanuman Prasad Poddar’s (the founding editor of Kalyan) differences with Gandhi. Furthermore, Mukul explains how Gita Press has always followed the core Gandhian philosophy, making it an ideal institution to receive the Gandhi Peace Prize. Despite this, Rahul Gandhi’s Congress views the press with mistrust, which is a contrast to Gandhi’s Congress. The article suggests that Gita Press is more Gandhian than Rahul Gandhi’s Congress, and this mistrust is explained by the influence of the Nehruvian system which rejected Hinduism and therefore, Gita Press, a leading purveyor of print Hinduism in the 20th century.