Gandhians Wouldn't Approve of Anna: Historian

Legendary filmmaker Khwaja Ahmad Abbas was a believer of Gandhian principles but would not have approved of Anna Hazare and the manner in which the whole issue of corruption was "hijacked" for ulterior motives, says historian Suresh Kohli.

"He (Abbas) believed in Gandhi, and admired Nehru. He would surely not have approved of Anna Hazare, and the manner in which the whole issue of corruption has been hijacked for ulterior motives. Gandhi never approved of that.

"He never allowed his supporters to hijack his vision, and silently watched the blackmailed methodology that has seeped into contemporary body politic," Kohli, who has edited Abbas' book of stories An Evening in Lucknow, told PTI.

According to Kohli,Abbas had a unique storytelling style.

"Like in other areas of creative expression, Abbas had an unusual approach to telling a story. Most of his stories are a mix of fact, and fiction, observed or experienced reality compounded with fantasy to make the work readable. He felt he must communicate his feelings, observations, philosophy with as wide a spectrum as possible."...