Can You Take It Ramachandra Guha?

Madhu Trehan puts journalists on the hot seat.
Ramachandra Guha speaks to Madhu Trehan on his new book, Congress being a "family firm", Hindutva hate mailers, "spineless" Manmohan Singh, the future of the Gandhis if Shastri hadn't died, Rahul Gandhi being unfit to lead the Congress and more...
To watch this and many more videos, click on www.newslaundry...

[@KartikRaj]

An intellectual mind! One of the most sensible persons around in India.

[@RaviYadav-zu3zc]

+Kartik Raj u are brainwashed ,when people start following or praising any particular historian/writer there thought process limited..........u need to hear counter arguments...........that will expose psedo-intellectual like guha

[@rudhisundar]

Ram Guha is becoming obsolete soon. This India is not of 1947. Enough of vote bank politics.

[@MrHarry1411]

Ram Guha is one of the most interesting historian to listen to. An excellent researcher and writer.

[@MrHarry1411]

Ram Guha speaks his mind which is well honed

[@thewhatorwhy]

Guha does not seem anywhere as reactionary as Roy. He condemns both Muslim and Hindu extremists here. He does have his academic style biases, but I would take him over those blind patriots who are simply Pro-India over seeing the humanity in others.

[@Who-qn5fl]

Madhu please think about narrating audiobooks. Your voice is meant for that. Ps, such an extraordinary interview, very insightful

[@ekthaKC]

I've learnt so many new things and facts!! this guy is excellent and my time was well spent!! i'am definitely gonna buy the book.

[@Rishabhinho7]

Which book?

[@FarhanAmin1994]

@@Rishabhinho7 31:28 Patriots and Partisans

[@rmks07]

Guha is fundamentally a social scientist who uses western prism to view Hindu traditions. He is as good as a westerner who views Hinduism as set of rituals without any meaning. Guha uses Gandhi to push his concept of ideal Hindu but conveniently forgets that socialism was very much present during Gandhi's time. But Gandhi avoided socialism and took spiritualism as his shelter. He insists in his book that Gandhi, Nehru, Ambedkar didn't accept the traditional Hinduism. They are the fathers of this country India. So the modern day youngsters, intellectuals should take cue from these leaders. BUT It is okay if the social scientists follow Christianity for it is the church that funds most of their social research and it is also the church which reaps the results of these research.

[@swarmagna]

You have a sensible comment. I know very little about R. Guha.Do you think that he is taking funds from the Church org.s

[@askaichin]

No. He has a liberal, Nehruvian POV but not some western prism etc. He is a good social scientist, but one might not always agree with his prognosis or his articulation. His scholarship however is unsullied.

[@patlollakarthik1626]

Oh boy that was a trip

[@AbhishekKumar-sz9fl]

Exactly..

[@harshbhandari9070]

8:00

[@ekthaKC]

might be tilted or I don't even care about it! he is a smart guy and makes some really intelligent observations. I liked his "if shastri was alive..." and the reason for these protests is because aspirations have exceeded....". favouring a party is his personal view and freedom. But just that should not define any person, should it? , he is a good historian, very good at what he is doing. I'm in middle of his book.

[@patriot9494]

admire this guy, thx for upload

[@sarthakjaiswal5864]

I mean I have listen many person he had vision of future

[@kanishk5962]

0:23 Karan Thapar went to Doon, too. Could this be a veiled barb at him?

[@ekthaKC]

there are plenty of such academics who take sides, but why are you calling them biased? historians and academics need not be neutral, they are not solving disputes nor does their opinion directly affect any of their subjects.... they have a right to have an opinion and can choose what to write on or research on. But I agree that indian prehistory has been neglected and often distorted to suit vested interests and prejudice. there is an attempt to discourage such developments.

[@amitchaubey6951]

Guha is at his deceptive best. Only those who can't deconstruct his unsophisticated chicanery, or don't know of his life's work, won't be able to see through his agenda.

[@rahulgrover1988]

theek h yaar he wrote aboust us ( am internet hindu ) but i dont think its good that we abuse scholars in such a derogatory manner , we must encourage to sincere advises not be rigid all times , i am proud to be internet hindu but i encoyrage dialogue and dont abuse others

[@anupamdixit]

यद्यपि IF की जांच करना शायद इतिहास का विषय नहीं होता लेकिन फिर भी यह एक रोचक बिन्दु होता है इतिहास की कक्षा में "अगर ऐसा होता तो क्या होता" और यहाँ तो गुहा साहब ने बहुत ही रोचक प्रश्न उठा दिया है की अगर शास्त्री जी जिंदा रहते तो नकली गान्धियों का क्या होता? और बहुत अच्छे अनुमान भी लगाए हैं खास कर राहुल जी के वैश्य में।

[@kasturiswami784]

The chamchagiri of the Congress culture undid it.

[@LordHighXcutioner]

I know! But we were never a united nation in the political sense, obviously. The British unified most of India. We have long since replaced the term "Hindu" with "Indian" to identify ourselves as a nationality. As of now, being Hindu is a religious identity. Hinduism is an umbrella term for various dharmic faiths of the aastik stream. Our non-Hindus are Indians, and our cultures are Indian; and that's enough. It would be disingenuous to call us "Hindus" in this day and age.

[@selvarajan8510]

Hindus, sikhs, buddhists & jains are considered socio-culturally 'Hindus', nto in a religious way & the constitution would agree. So this is official. With muslims & christians it is sort of an unofficial idea that they are hinduised. Dr.Ambedkar made that clear to sikhs who raised objections & Dr.Ambedkar made it clear that the buddha differed with the vedic groups only on creed and left the social structure intact. This is why sikhs,buddhists & jains are all included in the Hindu marriage act.

[@Akaula1]

The notion of religion can not be mapped in Indian categories. We have no internal word for it. The notion of Dharma on the contrary is the unifying for knowledge and social organization in India. And it can not be translated as religion, in fact it is anything but religion. Hindu word appears first time in Avesta of Zorastrians, as Hafta-Haindva an cognate of Sapta-Saindhva. IN very early parts of their sojourn they claim to have lived in Hafta-Haindava.

[@spacebarsux]

When he says "we should not make India a Hindu Pakistan" he exhibits prejudice. Here, in Hindu majority India, Hindus coexist largely peacably with MORE Muslims than in Pak and AS MANY Christians than in Aus (something he himself said once), not to mention other faiths. What happens to the minorities in ALL Muslim countries? Do you see Churches and Temples in Mecca as one sees a Mosque in Ayodhya (one of Hindusim's holiest sites)? Denying this is shows a double standard.

[@bongmonk]

always listen then u make a judgment .. no one is judgmental we are the one who agree to other

[@NavneetVasistha]

I'm not sure which women you showed his article to and I don't think you can extrapolate their views to an entire populace. The writing is on the wall whether you wish to acknowledge it or not....and that is besides the point. Irrespective of whether the rage stems from a male/female populace what he's asking is about where the anger is coming from for a person you've never met. I'm no fanboy of his but I'm not blind with rage about everything someone with secular leanings writes about.

[@vikramrazdan5680]

RC Guha has to appreciate that Hindus, although being a majority in India, were out of power since 1192, and over these years hundreds and thousands of Hindus have been murdered during muslim invasions of India and yet could not fight back. Look at what Sikhs did when Guru Gobind Singhji Maharaj was murdered by Jamshed Khan at Nanded by deceit in 1707, they hounded the Mughals to their oblivion. If anyone god forbid desecrates Guru Granth sahib, will they watch silently? If the Hindus through RSS are fighting back now when their religion is disrespected or desecrated, people do not call it defence, and instead everybody starts blaming RSS for inciting violence....You cannot have double standards for other religions........I am not a supporter of RSS, but having seen the type of work they do in person, I know that only 5% about them published in the media is true. In any case, we should be more bothered about Modi and I have seen that he has done a wonderful job in bringing 'economic prosperity' to all in India; irrespective of religion, case, creed or colour.

[@satyajit2007]

Ramachandra Guha is not all neutral . Thats what i m trying to say.There have been 100s of academicians who have been rewarded by Congress and they lobby for congress. Its very much natural becuase India has been mostly ruled by congress .and people get patronaged by congress, Ramchandra Guha is just an example of this cult.There have been brigher academicians , pushed back as they didnt go well with congress party in these 60 years.

[@Akaula1]

There is no notion of God either. The Devata or Deva can not be translated as God.

[@vaishnabhakti]

For these Nehruvian secularists, India was formed only after 1947, so what Indian tradition are you talking about?

[@nikiceg]

guha is clueless. he should first ask himself why doon schools or st stephens exist in the first place. Did they come in peace? no....they come to create coolies for the british. the british have left, the congress has takes its place and the tradition conitnues. remarkably clueless on anything indian.

[@dadarocks7241]

Should not you be asking question why educated class don't agree with your nonsense, how arorgant of you that whoel world must be wrong and they sud introspect while u must continue with the nonsense

[@satyajit2007]

and dont only judge ramchandra Guha by this interview. I have seen his 4-5 interviews in lastyears and thats how i came to this colnclusion..This particular interview he might be reasonable. But if you are smart enough , you can see thru his words. how he is tilted towards first family of congress.

[@prabhakaroli8128]

Please do not forget to mention kicking out of Kashmiri Pundits

[@vikasvimal6769]

Prabhakar Oli he forgot. Let me remind you. 500 Kashmiri pandits died due to terrorism since 1989. In the same period, terrorists killed 15,000 Muslims. It’s not at all about the pandits. It is about govt’s inability to handle pak sponsored terrorism.

[@thanveermohammed1997]

If you want to reform , reform from the basics. Learn Sanskrit & Go back to your scripture. Stop Idol Worship as prescribed by Vedas.

[@raulsins]

Wow. This man must be something else. Hated by the Congis and the Bhakts and Hindu fanatics and Muslim fanatics alike. Hats off to you Sir!

[@manikanth2166]

That something else is "He is loved by Communists"

[@tenoroyal]

rubbish! the communists would never love a man who is so individualistic...

[@aakashthakur2785]

nope he hate communism

[@Ars0205]

Mani Kanth he hate indian communist describe them a unpatriotic

[@ottovaughnjr.9282]

Rasputin13 he is a democratic socialist and not communists...

[@harshbhandari9070]

8:00

[@sudhdeo]

History will always remember Ram Guha as one of the shining light from this country. To millennial young generation it has to be conveyed that to understand India you must read all the books from Ram Guha.

[@ekthaKC]

people are getting sooo judgemental about this man! he is a good social scientist and historian.. please look at him from a non-hindutva point of view and look at his works and writings on shatri.. vajpayee. he deserves at least some credit.

[@ekthaKC]

gullu murmu no. he's written a lot of prejudiced stuff about pro-hindu leaders, i agree. But look at his other works on shastri gandhi, nehru.

[@Ladisingh9]

problem is indian intellectual are guilty bcz they didn't mark red line for islamic extremist.they didn't protect taslima and salman rushdie and mf hussain.these are ppl who helped jamat islami in wedt bangal

[@prateekagrawal389]

He is such an awesome person !!! a true liberal !

[@simi25181]

b'cause ramchandra guha is very straight n very true...all bjp cong hates him

[@nileshsharma6265]

by going through 7 years of news, i can say all the things against Congress came from this interview. this is the same man who was arrested for peaceful protest against CAA in banglore.

[@MrVigneshraju]

It's surprising how relevant this is even after 7 years

[@amitkhtn]

Arguably, the finest public intellectual in India!!

[@rraghavendraravi2489]

What is "can you take it? " about this interview - it is a gentle conversation !! Ram Guha believes in proportional guilt theory .. 80% hindus - hence they are wrong!!!

[@Indigo280]

Irony was never this evident. He's talking about unnecessary anger and animosity and the sudden eagerness to abuse and malign rather than to debate, and yet, after watching this video, everyone commenting is doing exactly that.

[@askaichin]

good man!

[@gp235801]

completely agree with the what if shastri was alive part !

[@kasturiswami784]

What if shastri lived for more years, I loved it.

[@FarhanAmin1994]

The Shastri section (after 10:00) was simply amazing XD

[@TheRegency10]

my question to Ramchandra Guha is that if Gandhi was so accomodative than why he could not accommodate entire Muslims and ended up giving 1/3rd of India's land after squeezing gallons of blood of innocent Hindus? no hardliner Hindu was at the helm of affairs at that time!! or is he suggesting that no matter what our enemies does to us, our womens childrens..we should always get ready to be butchered..For the God sake don't run your business brushing aside the hard reality Mr Guha

[@sattarabus]

For a scholar of phenomenal prowess, sometimes memory throws up high and dry... the quote from WB Yeats reads" the best lack all conviction, and the worst are full of passionate intensity". R Guha is a true blue intellectual, loath to mince words while speaking truth to power.

[@CobainwsGod]

A great historian - a great interview!! Madhu Trehan gets the best out of everyone!!

[@jellyfish007able]

We need more of liberals like Mr Guha. This book is very good.

[@EU-cz2px]

"People who are liberal are more tolerant": How can one condone the reticence of Ex PM Manmohan Singh while denouncing the passion of the sectarian groups in India who stand by their 'horrible' convictions? The overreaching Government policies of such reticent persons leading 1.2 billion persons, have vast horrendous insidious effects that make for less media fodder than brazen violent sectarian skirmishes.

[@showketkhanyari3341]

best intellectual

[@jagjivansingh1900]

In description you should mention what book is he talking about. You just mentioned he is discussing his new book. But what’s the name?

[@chedchatri]

biased towards or against? He seems to be trashing the congress!

[@indiamakessensea4909]

Privileged education, had the eyes and ears of the nation for many years, yet chose to spend his energies telling his countrymen how lousy they were. What about the intellectual backlash does he not understand? And by calling it Hindutva hate, he is only proves his critics right.

[@MrAnmolm]

Your comment is incoherent and seems to be nonsensical because it does not endeavors to explain anything (unlike the person it aims to criticize). Please try again.

[@ManishKumar-uf9tx]

@@MrAnmolm *is proves, and the irony died.

[@adityakulshreshtha5291]

one could call him analytical too....somebody who's making obvious conclusions from events and facts that anyone with common sense would...most wouldn't be so impartial...his books, articles, lectures, interviews, etc don't betray his political inclinations whatever they maybe...u can tell he's coming from a place of knowledge and analysis...he's not looking down upon anyone is he...or maybe that's just a historian's prerogative....i think i should go sleep now..it's late and i' rambling..cheers

[@sarthakjaiswal5864]

9:10 True Lines Very relevant in current time

[@felixserrao9384]

Dear Sir... I feel proud of the person like you who is so passionately in love with Indian ethos and it's rich fabric. Your person is really inspiring ...God bless you Sir... You always inspire me

[@ekthaKC]

i've read his writings and he has'nt shown any "delibrate" bias towards any community, person or event. For a historian, taking sides means neglecting evidence, writing lies or presenting false facts INSPITE OF KNOWING THE TRUE FACTS. He has'nt hidden any facts. I said that he can take sides "when he is choosing his subject on which to write, or expressing his views on politics as an author or thinker".

[@aersh28]

well the comments are more intriguing than the man himself… i am not really a fan of Guha intact I have no particular opinion of him at all. But what I am surprised at how we are willing the to fight over the words of anyone man. Have our own principles gone so shallow where we drive ourselves to obliterate each other over words of one leader or some academic. And that too over a concept of God. Where is the value? The spiritualism? this religion or that… we are all INDIANS!

[@911wtfdude]

nice interview !!!

[@allent4627]

, 7:29, 9:01, 10:01, 12:30, 14:50, 19:29, 22:22, 23:22, 24:46, 25:00, 26:42

[@AnotherAnalyst]

Hindus are not 85%, perhaps around 78-79%. If all educated Muslims left for Pakistan and those left behind were poor and traditional worker, is it Hindu created problem?

[@harism5589]

AnotherAnalyst I fully agree with you. Just go to Kerala. 80% are converted to Christians. Go to east in Nagaland. 99% converted to Christianity. I am surprised to see 24% population in Tamilnadu converted by Missionaries. Most conversions happened after 1990s. Thanks to Missionaries from mainly America and Germany. Instead of force of Guns, they use money to convert people. Our secular government issues special visa for these Missionaries. After 1971 war, all areas in the Indian border near Bangla Desh became Muslim dominated. Most came as refugees and now their next generation is born grown up in India. All became Indian Muslims. Assam Bodo riots by Bangladesh immigrants are well known. In Mumbai just go to Sion Station towards Dharavi. Every day 10 thousand Muslims come on streets for exercising Namaz. Just 15 years ago I use to pass by this area and never seen such a big crowd on streets for Namaz every day. I just asked young man in Dharavi who was not Muslim, how suddenly this population became so big. He replied, this is not magic. Large number of them have came from Pakistan using some agent. They came for jobs and better life as compared to what they had in Pakistan. Many look for getting job in Middle east and if did not succeed next better place they come to Mumbai. If you have anything above shoulder, just look around you. Hindu population in the India is reduced to around 70% at the best. If political parties keep using religion to win elections, Hindus will become minority within next 10 to 15 years. Owesi brothers already saying in speeches, why we should go to Pakistan, this is our (meaning people who are Muslims) country we will become Nizam (rulers) of this country again. Jai Hind.

[@benz4399]

Rightly said about Gandhi Parivaar. They destroyed India at the next level

[@ekthaKC]

FYI, he has said a lot about gandhi family and the details are not many so as to write a book about... it's mainly obscure. that they are not related to gandhis etc.... and your problem is that you judge a person based on whether he favours BJP and criticises congress or not.... there are many people who like congress and are completely entitled to their opinion. Don't judge them based on that... if at all he favours congress over BJP , that doesn't make him a bad historian.

[@adnanhimaloy3665]

Madhu was looking young and pretty...😄😄😄

[@noshulal]

He is learned Man

[@sagnikchaudhuri4142]

He speaks too fast... He is such a well learned man should speak slowly for us to grasp....

[@vikasvimal6769]

0.75x speed.

[@NavneetVasistha]

..and you're as adamant as the village buffalo. The point is he doesn't single out a person for abuse which is what he is getting. You don't agree with him and you're free to express your views on them. But abuse? That's the crux. Also in a country like India you don't need a mighty intellect (which I'm sure you have) to deduce someone's caste. The seething rage is what he's talking about which can't be substantiated. P.S: I'm sure you'll have something to say but this is my last comment.

[@ankit51091]

because of nehru india is not a failed state and didnt became a hindu pakistan. i m not naming any organization but fundamentalists have won in instilling fear among common middle class hindus like us which is evident in these comments sections . remember fear comes out in the form ignorance and hate..

[@RajnishKumar-el6hh]

I am proud to be liberal

[@askhan403]

Good work keep going

[@nileshsharma6265]

now think if BJP government was there in anna protest. what will be the news headlines?

[@prasannaxd]

Matter-of-fact man ... Guha.

[@kbsadiga]

India was divided because of hunger for power, and the religious difference was the face of it. It's time people started realizing and stop following the loudest voice in the crowd. Also what Rama said makes perfect sense, I don't know which part of it you disagree with.

[@narkelnaru2710]

Newslaundry needs to share this video 4:50 again to see how the rage of nearly 7 years ago has been transmogrified into the outright blind rage today.

[@chedchatri]

that was a gazillion years ago!

[@rshk91]

Can't help but be astounded by his colossal confidence despite his staggering stupidity. He a fraud more than any thing else. Calling himself a scholar whilst missing rigor in his arguments. Superficial compaision of hidutva and extremist islam while understanding neither in-depth. An authentic representative of Macaulay's education system, one that must be made an example out of. Sheer arrogance, no substance. India today is a result of intellectual leadership of such idiots.

[@92_09]

You wrote so many words without implying anything. What a waste of time.

[@sarvgoel6793]

Seriously hussain??

[@selvarajan8510]

continued - Hinduism, buddhism, jainism are not religions. It is possible to not believe i any deity and still be any of the three. Dharmic 'faiths' is wrong. Dharma stands independent of faith. There is a growing secular buddhism movement & there si a growing non theistic yogic(contemplation based irreligious yoga) movement around the world. Jug Suraiya is a hindu atheist, Dr.Sen describes himself as one too & so are three generations in my family including me. Mr.Hindutva himself was one too.

[@kamalunawane1105]

One of sensible journalist all over India,

[@chaturvedula7173]

Guha you are acheeter

[@pratapg432]

14:10 "People with no political backing like PV Narasimha Rao" you must be kidding Mr. Guha

[@kannu4999]

If only I had watched things like these 10 yrs ago, I wouldn't have remained in the fool's paradise.

[@Vargish21]

Why not blame the people who hold back the community like Mullahs and people who agreed to their unfair demands?

[@2010sunshine]

Once you tell a lie, you have to tell hundred more to cover it up. Once you draw one false equivalence, you have to draw hundred more.

[@harshbhandari9070]

12:30

[@harshbhandari9070]

4:30

[@bhaskarpurohit7556]

Does he even breathe while speaking?

[@rameshchetty4716]

You are totally wrong. Intellectual doesn't to be stupid.

[@milindranka4183]

My only query is that why he is not exploring the root cause and instead just talks off the head. That is not matured calling. In hindsight it is always easy to talk forgetting that you need to continue in the same timeframe to make your comments count.

[@LordHighXcutioner]

India was not a country before 1947. LOL, As of now, India is a country of numerous nations, all ethnically distinct from each other. And Hinduism doesn't even bind our country, even though we may be majority Hindu! For instance, I am Konkani Catholic. Konkani Hindus and us are brothers. They have much more in common with us, than with a Marathi Hindu, or a Kannadiga, because religion never unites people.

[@onkarnathgoyal]

We cannot take Idiotic thoughts ideas like 26 of those who wrote advisory

[@Suryapoosarla]

i dont think manmohan singh has spine but his spine was broken by sonia gandhi and his chamchas

[@Akaula1]

The notion of political nation is European construct of more recent times. Why should that become a criterion for deciding on the nature of the entity Bharat is or was? We have had the notion of Raashtra from very early on and also the notion of Varta. Just because the people who came to power were ignorant about our narrative and our vision does not make India not a Raashtra.

[@amadhumanohar]

They have made careers of many people... they did nothing for this country than enriching themselves... some times desert also feel rain doesn't mean you can harvest............ please analyze the entire congress dynasty and think and add comment......

[@Akaula1]

Hinduism is part of the Dharma tradition. Dharma touches all fine existents tangible of intangible so long it has quality of measurability. Space, time non-living, living, finite conceptual categories all have Dharma. Unfortunately our english educated people have stopped seeing India with their native vision, but see it with ENglish, Muslim, Christian glasses. The glasses brought in by the alien rulers of India.

[@ekthaKC]

why is it so essential for someone to criticise congress to be acknowledged as a genuine person by you. Why can't you see that not everyone is either a congress or BJP supporter. Stop reading BJP/congress everywhere!! it would be fair to judge him just as a historian or an author. And by that point of view he is excellent!! he has'nt spoken about BJP's collusion with congress and BJP's corruption either! And which one did not make sense to you? list them! he is strong on facts.

[@NavneetVasistha]

I don't it is sexist. From whatever I've gleaned from my readings on the net and twitter, it is mostly males who're spreading the hate. As for you terming his rants as 'menstrual distress', I'm sure he would laugh it out and reply back to you with decency but that is not the case with the majority of the IH comments. Secondly, I think it is incorrect to assume that only a psychologist or a specialist can have a thought about anything. He is as much of a social thinker as anyone else.

[@themarksman1]

Of course you being Guha's fanboy wouldn't deem it as 'sexist'. Your admiration for him blinds you to see the reality. I showed his article to few of my colleagues (some women) who know nothing abt Guha & they all agreed on it being sexist. And you know what, they were surprised to learn that such a racist was even celebrated as an intellectual/scholar in India!