Tushar Gandhi: Human rights champion and social justice crusader

Expressing disappointment, Tushar Gandhi tweeted: “For the first time in history of Independent India I have been detained at Santa Cruz Police Station as I left home to commemorate 9th August Quit India Day. I am proud My Great Grandparents Bapu and Ba had also been arrested by the British Police on the historic date.”

A noted author and human rights activist, Tushar Gandhi has always been in forefront fighting against the politics of hate, religious discrimination and oppression.

Born to Aurun Gandhi and Sunanda Gandhi, Tushar Gandhi did his schooling at Adarsh Vinay Mandir, a Gujarati Medium school in Mumbai. He did his diploma in printing in Government Institute of Printing Technology. He married Sonal Desai in 1985. The couple has two children, Vivan and Kasturba.

Inheriting the core principles of ahimsa (non-violence) from his great grandfather Mahatma Gandhi, Tushar Gandhi took to social work through the Mahatma Gandhi Foundation.

In 2007, he authored a book titled ‘Let’s Kill Gandhi’ which was a bestseller. The book became controversial inviting criticism from some quarters. His critics believed he had blamed the entire Brahmin community for Gandhi’s assassination, a charge Tushar Gandhi dismissed as an incorrect interpretation of his book. He had then explained, ” I have highlighted the developments. It relates to only a small section of Brahmins in Pune. It was not against entire Brahmin community.”

At a time when incidents of mob lynching rapidly rose in the name of cow vigilantism, Tushar Gandhi petitioned the Supreme Court. He urged the apex court to direct state and union territories to stop the killing of innocent persons.

When the Centre mooted the Citizen Amendment Act ( CAA), Tushar Gandhi categorically opposed it citing it was discriminatory and unjust against Muslims. He actively participated in the protest rallies and seminars against CAA in Haryana and Kolkata.

The right-wing Sakal Hindu Samaj rallies and Jana Akrosh Rallies held in Maharashtra to protest love jihad invited sharp criticism from Tushar Gandhi. He had also written a letter to the police commission to ban such rallies that spread hatred and divide society on communal lines.

Whether it is public rallies or seminars he has always lent active support to humanitarian causes. He has often invited flak from the right-wing fundamentalists for his views. In February 2020, a Pube-based college had to cancel his talk at the last minute after a right-wing outfit threatened they would disrupt the seminar.