'Racist' Gandhi honoured by Johannesburg

[dArKeR]

It was supposed to honour his resistance to racism in South Africa, but a new statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Johannesburg has triggered a row over his alleged contempt for black people.

The 2,5 metre high bronze statue depicting Gandhi as a dashing young human rights lawyer has been welcomed by Nelson Mandela, among others, for recognising the Indian who launched the fight against white minority rule at the turn of the last century.

But critics have attacked the gesture for overlooking racist statements attributed to Gandhi, which suggest he viewed black people as lazy savages who were barely human.

Newspapers continue to publish letters from indignant readers: "Gandhi had no love for Africans. To , Africans were no better than the 'Untouchables' of India," said a correspondent to The Citizen.

Others are harsher, claiming the civil rights icon "hated" black people and ignored their suffering at the hands of colonial masters while championing the cause of Indians.

http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=22133

[Dufaeth]

1. Gandhi is way overrated

The Untouchables of India still hate him to this day, booing and hissing when his likeness is seen in movies.

[judy]

2. If they do, they are wrong and ignorant...

Gandhi at the declaration of Independence of India in 1947, resigned from the Congress Party, and dedicated his life to eliminating the caste system in India, and to make the Untouchables (whom he called Harijan - Children of God) full participants in social life.

Because of this, and of his refusal to accept Partition as a good policy, he was shot to death by an extremist Hindu. The Caste system, which created the Untouchables is part of traditional Hindu established religion.

Gandhi is way underrated, if you ask me...

[newyorkdork]

3. Gandi...

Holy Cow! I never knew that before.

[Classical_Liberal]

4. I really don't understand the tendency to smear Ghandhi that is

going on now.