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Kerala tries to hunt down books on Godse

D Jose in Thiruvananthapuram

The authorities in Kerala have launched a massive hunt for Malayalam translations of Gopal Godse's books, including the controversial play on Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse, which has been banned in Maharashtra.

The search has been prompted by reports of a move by the Sangh Parivar, comprising the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Bharatiya Janata Party, and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to distribute the local version of the play and another book carrying Godse's deposition during his trial, through its network.

Police raids in Kannur district have yielded 600 back-covers of the second book published under the title Bahmumanapetta Kodathi Mumbake (May it please your honour) by the Thapathi Pusthak Prasadhaka Sangham at Payyanur, which is known as the second Bardoli because of its association with Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhiji had visited the town during the freedom struggle.

The police also arrested printer T Nandanan under Section 153(A-a) of the Indian Penal Code for intending to cause communal disharmony. The raid conducted at the publishing company owned by P V Jayaprakash and the residence of an RSS worker at Payyannur did not yield anything. The police hence suspect that copies of the book might have been removed to safer places, and a search is continuing in various establishments linked with the Sangh Parivar.

The Marathi book containing Godse's statement in defence of the assassination and a prologue by the author listing out the developments following the assassination and the torture and persecution he underwent inside and outside the jail, was translated into Malayalam by one Satyavrithan. The police believe the name could be a pseudonym.

The book was scheduled to be launched by Gopal Godse, brother of the assassin some time next month, but it was deferred by the publishers in the light of the uproar over the Marathi play. However, members of the Sangh Parivar are learnt to have started circulating the book through their network, fearing that it may be banned by the state government. Their intention is to reach the book to as many people as possible before the authorities initiate action for banning the book.

The BJP and the RSS workers held a meeting at the office of the publisher, which incidentally is housed in the office complex of Thapasya, an organ of the RSS, to decide details about the distribution last week.

Jayaprakash has denied any links with the Sangh Parivar, but he has been associated with several Hindu organisations after he was expelled from the CPI-M for his extremist political ideas. An earlier book published by him on the 'Mapilla rebellion' had also triggered controversy.

The publisher justified the latest work, saying it was only the translation of a work published some 17 years ago. Gandhian organisations in the state are highly agitated over the move by the Sangh Parivar to eulogise Godse and denigrate the Mahatma. A meeting of Gandhian organisations held in Thiruvanthapuram on Monday sees the attempt as part of a national conspiracy to distort history. The Gandhians expressed concern over the campaign at a time when the nation was celebrating the golden jubilee of its independence and observing the 50th martyrdom year of Mahatma Gandhi.

Thinker M N Vijayan said the fascist forces who do not find place in the freedom struggle of the country was trying to get into history through these mean methods.

Congress Legislature Party deputy leader G.Karthikeyan alleged a move by the Sangh Parivar to stage the Marathi drama Mi Nathuram Godse Boltoy in the state. He said the Malayalam version of the drama was ready, and its printed version is said to have reached the Sangh Parivar network for private distribution. Karthikeyan urged the government to take immediate steps to prevent the staging of the drama, which he said will provoke communal trouble.

Youth Congress president K C Venuguopal said the Sangh Parivar was concentrating deliberately at Payyanur as the place was sanctified by its association with Mahatma Gandhi. He also urged the government to ban the book and punish the forces behind it.

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