UPDATE: Justice Kotwal, judge of Bombay High Court clarifies that he did not refer to Leo Tolstoy book but the book of Biswajit Roy which is War & Peace in Junglemahal: People, State, and Maoists. People on twitter misunderstood the judge statement
War and Peace, a classic novel by Leo Tolstoy written in the year 1868 was collected from the house of Vernon Gonsalves. He is accused in the Bhima Koregaon case. Tolstoy took almost 6 years to write this novel. In it, he has narrated a story of French invasion into Russia.
In Tolstoy word he said
“War and Peace is not a novel, even less is it a poem, and still less a historical chronicle.”
A fine novel which I believe should be read by everyone. Accused Vernon Gonsalves may not have thought that this book will ever take this turn. During the court hearing on the case, Justice Sarang Kotwal said why 19th century novel on war is present in your house. On which many have shown dissent.
At Bhima Koregaon celebration was going on in 2018 to the 200th anniversary of the battle of bhima koregaon. But because of some unlawful person stone pelting took place resulted in death of one person. In connection with police has arrested many persons. Police have also established that it has a Maoist connection as well. The case is going in Bombay High Court, and Justice Sarang Kotwal was seeking question-related to the same case.
https://twitter.com/free_thinker/status/1166959354412580865?s=20
Whole debate outside court energized after Justice Kotwal’s remarks when people started giving their own reactions on Judge Statement. Alt News Editor also owner Pratik Sinha who runs fact-checking website posted Prime Minister Narendra Modi video previewing the same novel in the library.