Gandhi's grandson quits peace institute in trouble over blog posting

Washington, Jan 26 (UNI) Mr Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi has resigned as president of a peace institute at the University of Rochester, following the brew over his online essay calling Jews and Israel ''the biggest players'' in a global culture of violence.

Founder of M K Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence in his resignation letter wrote that his January 7 essay ''was couched in language that was hurtful and contrary to the principles of nonviolence. My intention was to generate a healthy discussion on the proliferation of violence. Clearly I did not achieve my goal.

Instead, unintentionally, my words have resulted in pain, anger, confusion and embarrassment,'' the Washington Post reported today.

Gandhi's comments were part of a discussion about the future of Jewish identity on the religion blog On Faith at washingtonpost.com.

He wrote that Jewish identity is ''locked into the holocaust experience,'' which Jews ''overplay . . . to the point that it begins to repulse friends.'' The Jewish nation -- Israel, he wrote -- is too reliant upon weapons and bombs and should instead befriend its enemies.

M K Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence was launched by Mr Arun Gandhi in 1991 in Tennessee, US. In 2007, the institute moved to Rochester, New York. Mr Gandhi is the fifth grandson of Mahatma Gandhi through his second son Manilal.

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