Debating India: Essays on Indian Political Discourse

This book traces the origins and development of the Indian tradition of public debate and the various forms it took at different times in Indian history. It examines some of the major debates that occurred during the independence struggle and the ways in which they structured the conceptual and moral parameters of the Indian political imagination. Presenting riveting accounts, such as of Einsteins views on Gandhis philosophy of Ahimsa or of GandhiTagore debates, and through an imaginary dialogue between Gandhi and Osama bin Laden, Parekh critically examines the strengths and weaknesses of Gandhian philosophy.