New Delhi: Amid the sharp attack by Opposition leader Jairam Ramesh on the Gorakhpur-based Gita Press being accorded the prestigious ‘Gandhi Peace Prize’, one of the trustees of the press has said that people are entitled to say whatever they want to.
“Jairam Ramesh can say whatever he wants to, we will continue doing our work. We are an independent country. We can’t control what others are saying. We don’t involve ourselves in any political discussion,” said Devi Dayal, one of the trustees, in a conversation with ThePrint.
Gita Press has been conferred the Gandhi Peace Prize 2021 for its “outstanding contribution towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violent and other Gandhian methods”. However, the press has declined to accept the cash prize of Rs 1 crore citing its tradition of “not receiving any kind of donations” and being a “no profit, no loss” organisation, explained Dayal.
Criticising the decision as a “travesty”, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh had Sunday said in a tweet that it was like “awarding Savarkar and Godse”.
Established in 1923, Gita Press is reportedly one of the world’s largest publishers, having published 41.7 crore books in 14 languages, including 16.21 crore copies of Shrimad Bhagvad Gita. During the Covid-19 pandemic, even as other publishers faced financial challenges, Gita Press recorded a massive profit of Rs 77 crore.
The institution has also never relied on advertisement in its publications for revenue generation. Dayal attributed this to Mahatma Gandhi.
The friendship between the press and Mahatma Gandhi dates back to 1926, he said, when the founder of Kalyan magazine, Hanuman Prasad Poddar, met Gandhi and offered the first edition to him.
“Back then, Gandhiji congratulated Poddar and gave him two suggestions. The first being that the press should not accept any kind of advertisement, and second that it should be apolitical and work for the spread of sanatan dharam (religious duty),” Dayal said.
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Ram Janmabhoomi and Krishna Bhoomi
In his book, Gita Press and the Making of Hindu India, journalist turned author Akshaya Mukul writes that the founder of Kalyan magazine, Poddar would contribute every month to keep the Ram Janmabhoomi movement alive.
According to Dayal, Poddar and Gita Press Poddar also contributed to the creation of Shri Krishna Janmasthan in Mathura.
“When Poddar went to Mathura, it was in ruins. A tear rolled down his cheek and he ensured that the city would become Krishan janmabhoomi,” Dayal recalls.
‘Hinduism and Hindutva are one’
Despite Gita Press keeping up with the changing times and adopting new technology —investing around Rs 25 crore in machinery from Japan, Germany, and France — it has held on to basic traditions of Hinduism. The organisation’s management does not include any individuals from the Dalit community. Speaking to ThePrint, Ashutosh Upadhyay, the production manager at Gita Press, confirmed that no person from the minority community has been employed at the organisation in any capacity.
While Gita Press prides itself in spreading sanatan dharam to Indian households, it believes that Hinduism and Hindutva are two sides of the same coin. “Hinduism and Hindutva are one with different names. And Hindustan is obviously a Hindu Rashtra. Wherever Hindus live will be a Hindu Rashtra,” Dayal said.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
Also read: ‘Like awarding Godse’ — Gandhi Peace Prize for Gita Press triggers Congress-BJP slugfest