Group demands ban on VD Savarkar book on Jesus Christ

A Christian organisation has demanded a ban on a controversial book penned by the brother of Hindutva ideologue V.D. Savarkar, claiming Jesus Christ was a Tamil Hindu. The book, written by Ganesh ‘Babarao’ Savarkar in 1946, is being re-launched on February 26.

“The present scenario in the country and the state is not favourable for Christians. Campaigns like Ghar Wapsi are being conducted. The book was written in 1946 and there was no need to re-print it. It is creating terror among Christians. We have written to the CM to ban it,” Ashish Shinde from Alpha Omega Christian Mahasangh said.

The book will be re-launched here on February 26, the death anniversary of the Hindutva icon V.D. Savarkar, Ranjit Savarkar, president of the Swatantryaveer Savarkar National Memorial, had said.

The book, first published in 1946, also claims that Christianity was initially a Hindu cult and that Jesus had died in Kashmir.

It claims that people from the Essene cult rescued the crucified Christ and revived him with medicinal plants and herbs from the Himalayas. It also says Christ attained ‘samadhi’ in Kashmir. The book Christ Parichay goes on to claim that Jesus was a “Vishwakarma Brahmin” by birth and Christianity was a sect of Hinduism.

The Christian organisation has objected to these claims. “On the one had V.D. Savarkar had said that the Christian religion came from outside the country. His brother saying that Jesus was born in Tamil Nadu. It is contradictory and might invite communal tensions,” Shinde said.

The Marathi book is being brought out by Savarkar National Memorial, a trust that preserves and propagates the Savarkar brothers’ literature and ideology.

The book claims that the present day Palestinian and Arab territories were Hindu lands and that Christ travelled to India where he learnt yoga.

The book says Christ’s real name was Keshao Krishna, Tamil was his mother tongue, and his complexion was dark. Asked about the claims in the book, senior priest and director of the Bombay Archdiocesan Heritage Museum, Father Warner D’Souza that said such books would not shake the faith of Christians.