Mein Kampf in India

Last week here in Delhi I headed to a book fair as part of my work with Viveka. There were stalls there from thousands of publishers and distributors across India.

One thing I couldn't help notice was five separate editions of 'Mein Kampf', Hitler's little rant which he wrote while he was locked up, before coming to power in Germany. Five editions! I saw this book almost as often as I saw 'The Da Vinci Code'.

In fact, a few Germans here have remarked on how, when telling some Indians (Pakistanis also) that they are German, a common reaction is 'Oh, Hitler! Very brave man', which leaves the Germans, obviously, a little gobsmacked.

Now I am certainly not suggesting that Indians are all neo-fascists, but surely five editions of Mein Kampf at different publishers does suggest some strong interest in old Hitler.

Personally, I think its due a little to the nature of life in India. The traffic, laws, government, etc; one word which a great number of people, Indians and foreigners alike, will often use to describe India, is chaotic.

One of the people from Belgium that we hosted recently was a retired Indian diplomat. We were talking about the Republic Day parade, and she mentioned that while she was a pacifist, she could not help but be impressed by the Indian military at the parade...'In chaotic India, they are about the only thing that seem really organised!'.

So maybe Indians are really just looking for a leader who will 'make the trains run on time', so to speak. I can imagine that the idea of synchronised jackboots, traffic laws obeyed, a less corrupt government and the rickshaw wallah who ripped you off this morning being thrown into jail within hours, might have its appeal to an Indian who has put up with the chaos here for a little too long.