Gandhi’s deification arose from planted rumours, credulous reporting and charisma

Evidence

In his classic essay, “Gandhi as Mahatma”, the historian Shahid Amin describes how the combination of cleverly planted rumours by local Congress leaders, adulatory—and sometimes hallucinatory—newspaper reporting, a gullible people and Gandhi’s extraordinary charisma built up mass hysteria which culminated in the deification of Mahatma Gandhi. — Ambedkar, B R, Annihilation of Caste_ The Annotated…, 280

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the ethnographic literature on rumor and charisma production in colonial India, e.g., Shahid Amin’s own work and later subaltern studies treatments. — connects to: Hindus treated Gandhi as an infallible oracle whose word ended debate; Post-war Western anxiety drove Europeans to deify Gandhi as a Christ figure; Gandhi’s moral authority silenced Hindu dissent rather than inviting debate
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Ambedkar, B R, Annihilation of Caste_ The Annotated…, 280

Broader Connections

• Post-war Western anxiety drove Europeans to deify Gandhi as a Christ figure #expands (0.80)
• Gandhi’s moral authority silenced Hindu dissent rather than inviting debate #corroborates (0.50)