Roli Books reposted this
“Banned and Censored: What the British Raj Didn’t Want Us To Read” Publisher: Roli Books Author: Devika Sethi This anthology takes you through a rich collection of writings once deemed dangerous and subversive by the British colonial authorities during the transformative first half of the twentieth century in India. It includes non-fiction from renowned figures and lesser-known voices alike, capturing moments both remembered and forgotten, from both Indians and non-Indians, from the jailed and the free, by politicians, intellectuals, revolutionaries, and students. Among the notable contributors are S.C. Bose, Bhikaji Cama, Har Dayal, M.L. Dhingra, M.K. Gandhi, Aurobindo Ghosh, Shyamji Krishnavarma, M.M. Malaviya, S.P. Mookerjee, Jawaharlal Nehru, Lajpat Rai, C. Rajagopalachari, V.D. Savarkar, and B.G. Tilak. Each passage offers insight not only into the writer’s thoughts but also into the socio-political climate in which these texts circulated. Some of these banned ideas remain radical even today, while others appear milder, yet they reflect the evolving boundaries of dissent that shaped India’s modern identity. Shifts in tone across these writings demonstrate how tolerance changed as the century advanced. With colonial-era censorship laws still lingering, complemented by post-colonial regulations, this collection is an essential read for understanding India’s past and present. . . #bookreview
