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all 49 comments
[–]lolwatrollwaHaryana 79 points80 points81 points  (5 children)
Gandhi was after all a human, and did a bunch of very wrong shit. He is not above reproach, and the people of Ghana are free to express themselves as they like in their own country. If they don't want a Gandhi statue, then no big deal.
[–]ColoredKarela 23 points24 points25 points  (10 children)
Well they're not wrong. Gandhi was horrendously racist towards Africans.
[–]that_70_show_fan 14 points15 points16 points  (9 children)
He changed his mind later on.
[–]ColoredKarela 20 points21 points22 points  (6 children)
That may well be true. I can't say I know much about Gandhi's change of mind to comment on. At the same time, just because he changed his mind doesn't mean other people did. It's their country, their views and opinions. We might revere Gandhi as a national hero, but they can do whatever they want. If they don't like the statue, destroy it or burn it to the ground. Who are we to comment on what offends them and what doesn't?
[–]that_70_show_fan 8 points9 points10 points  (1 child)
Who are we to comment on what offends them and what doesn't?
I don't care. I was just replying to your original comment. You also commented in this thread essentially validating their decision.
[–]ColoredKarela 0 points1 point2 points  (0 children)
I'm not having a go at you, and neither am I validating their decision. I'm merely indifferent :P
I was just stating facts that Gandhi tended to be quite racist and this is something very well documented through the letters he wrote. Ultimately I don't really care what a bunch of students in Ghana do, and neither should most people.
[–]fawkesdotbe -4 points-3 points-2 points  (3 children)
This is one of the most sensible and intelligent comments I've seen in Reddit in a while...
[–]PM-me-ur-hairMaharashtra 0 points1 point2 points  (2 children)
You have low standards
[–]thebathinape 0 points1 point2 points  (1 child)
If he had low standards then he would find more comments to be sensible.
[–]PM-me-ur-hairMaharashtra 0 points1 point2 points  (0 children)
Maybe he doesn't express them everytime
[–]swacchreddit -1 points0 points1 point  (1 child)
Do you have any references? I couldn't find much on Gandhi's later views and writings about Africans.
[–]prahladyeriIndia 3 points4 points5 points  (0 children)
This comment by /u/Eastern_citizen explains it clearly:
This question was asked on AskHistorian and it's explained better there
Basically, in his early days he was prejudiced against blacks because he was still loyal to the British empire as he thought they were for the benefit of mankind but later he got disillusioned and from then on he started to develop his own views.

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Comments, continued...

[–]mangoPicklesMaker 10 points11 points12 points  (8 children)
He was also misogynistic and homophobic.
[–]trander6face 5 points6 points7 points  (0 children)
Who wasn't in late 19th to early 20th century???
[–]swacchreddit -1 points0 points1 point  (6 children)
And a strong advocate of cow protection and vegetarianism.
[–]post_weed_Madhya Pradesh 8 points9 points10 points  (5 children)
None of which is wrong unless he wanted them legally enforced.
[–]house_of_kunt 7 points8 points9 points  (2 children)
He used to serve non vegetarian food for Maulana Azad, because forcing vegetarianism on someone was violence.
[–]post_weed_Madhya Pradesh 1 point2 points3 points  (0 children)
That's the right thing to do. People should make the ethical choice out of their own choice.
[–]redweddingsareawesomUniverse [score hidden]  (0 children)
The skeptic in me wonders how much of it was drive by the fact that he valued maintaining good relationships with his allies (and even enemies). Although only Gandhi can really tell, I'm going to put it down to more of a strategic move rather than values move. I doubt he would have entertained the idea of his wife being non-vegetarian for example.
[–]pure_haze 0 points1 point2 points  (0 children)
And he wanted India to alcohol-free. A lot of "Gandhians" are still attempting to ban alcohol pan-India.
[–]redweddingsareawesomUniverse [score hidden]  (0 children)
IIRC, the directive principle on cow protectionism in our Constitution is mainly due to Gandhi.
I have not seen any evidence though of Gandhi's homophobia. /u/swacchreddit care to share?
[–]sensitiveinfomax 11 points12 points13 points  (1 child)
somebody ghana get hurt real bad
[–]Humidsummer1Maharashtra 2 points3 points4 points  (0 children)
Be a man.
[–]jinku2608 2 points3 points4 points  (0 children)
When you gift something it is done for the other person, not to congratulate yourself.
[–]swacchreddit 2 points3 points4 points  (0 children)
History is written by the winners and we have a habit of idolizing our leaders. Yes, there are dark sides to Gandhi that we do not talk about.
These students in Ghana have every right to ask for this because Gandhi was not really relevant in any African struggles against racism and colonialism; in fact during his time in South Africa he himself regarded the Africans as inferior and wanted to dissociate Indians and their civil disobedience movement from the black community.
[–]Eastern_citizen 5 points6 points7 points  (7 children)
If Gandhi was racist why would he say such things about Zulus in his autobiography?
At any rate my heart was with the Zulus, and I was delighted, on reaching headquarters, to hear that our main work was to be the nursing of the wounded Zulus. The Medical Officer in charge welcomed us. He said the white people were not willing nurses for the wounded Zulus, that their wounds were festering, and that he was at his wits' end. He hailed our arrival as a godsend for those innocent people, and he equipped us with bandages, disinfectants, etc., and took us to the improvised hospital. The Zulus were delighted to see us. The white soldiers used to peep through the railings that separated us from them and tried to dissuade us from attending to the wounds. And as we would not heed them, they became enraged and poured unspeakable abuse on the Zulus.
As soon as our camp was moved, we had to follow on foot with our stretchers on our shoulders. Twice or thrice we had to march forty miles a day. But wherever we went, I am thankful that we had God's good work to do, having to carry to the camp on our stretchers those Zulu friendlies who had been inadvertently wounded, and to attend upon them as nurses.
Seems like these guys read some propaganda on the internet which presented only one side of the story and didn't bother to research any further themselves. In his younger days he said those things because he was educated by the British who taught racist stuff.
EDIT: In 1935, an African American delegation led by Howard Thurman had come to meet Gandhi
After more than five months in India, and with less than two weeks to stay, Thurman’s group finally had an opportunity to meet Gandhi. The Mahatma was travelling and invited them to stay at his encampment. He normally waited inside of his tent to receive visitors, but when the Thurmans arrived, he came out and welcomed them with greater warmth than Gandhi’s secretary had ever seen before. Gandhi immediately launched into intense questioning about the state of black America. He wanted to understand all the issues that African Americans faced and the details of the struggle. The brilliant philosopher had been examined many times before, but Thurman would later write in his autobiography, “Never in my life have I been a part of the that kind of examination: persistent, pragmatic questions about American Negroes.”
In 1936 Benjamin May, Martin Luther King's father's friend learnt the art of non-violence from Gandhi
Towards the end of 1936, Benjamin Mays – a friend of Martin Luther King’s father and the dean of Howard University’s School of Religion – also met with Gandhi. With Mays, Gandhi went into more detail about the intense spiritual activity required by nonviolence, saying that nonviolent resistance “is much more active than violent resistance. It is direct, ceaseless, but three-fourths invisible and only one-fourth visible.” Gandhi added, “Non-violence is the most invisible and the most effective… a violent man’s activity is most visible while it lasts. But it is always transitory.”
[–]rollebullah 2 points3 points4 points  (0 children)
Autobiography was written after he returned to INdia for good. Initially he had a very bigoted approach to the natives there. While he was working for the better treatment of Indians there he disregarded the plight of the locals, even going to the extent of saying that the were incapable to lead lives like the Indians and Europeans and were as a race incompatible. I dont know, it might have been political posturing to maximize the benefit for Indians there but definitely racist by today's standards. Toward the end of his stay, he made amends and recognized that the lives of Non-europeans wasnt gonna improve if they arent united and made several attempts to address the natives' concerns.
[–]sammyedwardsChhattisgarh 3 points4 points5 points  (4 children)
TBH, Gandhi was a bit racist towards the black Africans.
[–]Eastern_citizen 6 points7 points8 points  (3 children)
Zulus are black Africans. And clearly his actions don't show any racist attitude, not even a bit TBH.
[–]Eastern_citizen 17 points18 points19 points  (0 children)
This question was asked on AskHistorian and it's explained better there
Basically, in his early days he was prejudiced against blacks because he was still loyal to the British empire as he thought they were for the benefit of mankind but later he got disillusioned and from then on he started to develop his own views.
He also said this about blacks
"I have endeavoured to study the question [of Indians in South Africa] as it [also] affects the Africans and the Chinese. It seems to me that both the Africans and the Asiatics have advanced the Empire as a whole; we can hardly think of South Africa without the African races ... South Africa would probably be a howling wilderness without the African races ... They (the African races) are still in the history of the world's learners. Able-bodied and intelligent men as they are, they cannot but be an asset to the Empire ..."
[–]Darknightysj 0 points1 point2 points  (0 children)
All of this is correct, but we don't have any stake there,in India however we have Raj Ghat which is his biggest memento.
[–]anti_anti_adblock 0 points1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ghana university students say Gandhi was racist, want his statue removed


The students and teachers argue that Gandhi's reference to black Africans as "kaffir" in some of his early writings reflected his 'racist' mindset.
  1. Pranab Mukherjee gifts Mahatma Gandhi statue to University of Ghana
  2. Some students demanding removal stating he was prejudiced to black people.
  3. Gandhi's reference to black Africans as "kaffir" reflected his 'racist' mindset.


Three months after President Pranab Mukherjee gifted a Gandhi statue of Mahatma Gandhi to the University of Ghana. Some students and academics at the Ghana University are demanding its removal saying he was prejudiced against black people.
Three months after President Pranab Mukherjee gifted a Gandhi statue of Mahatma Gandhi to the University of Ghana. Some students and academics at the Ghana University are demanding its removal saying he was prejudiced against black people.GANDHI CALLED AFRICANS KAFFIR
GANDHI CALLED AFRICANS KAFFIRThe students and teachers argue that Gandhi's reference to black Africans as "kaffir" in some of his early writings reflected his 'racist' mindset.
The campaign has been led by Professor Akosua Adomako Ampofo, former director of the Institute of African Studies.The students and teachers have also launched an online petition, asking authorities to facilitate "the removal of the statue of Gandhi" at the earliest.
The students and teachers have also launched an online petition, asking authorities to facilitate "the removal of the statue of Gandhi" at the earliest."How will the historian teach and explain that Gandhi was uncharitable in his attitude towards the black race and see that we're glorifying him by erecting a statue on our campus?" wrote a professor in the petition.
"How will the historian teach and explain that Gandhi was uncharitable in his attitude towards the black race and see that we're glorifying him by erecting a statue on our campus?" wrote a professor in the petition.The campaigners have been raising slogans like 'Gandhi Must Fall' and 'Gandhi For Come Down'.
The campaigners have been raising slogans like 'Gandhi Must Fall' and 'Gandhi For Come Down'.PAY HEED TO PETITION
PAY HEED TO PETITIONAmpofo is urging members of the University of Ghana Council to heed her petition, arguing among other things that,Gandhi was racist against black people and honouring him will set a wrong example for students, as per local media in Ghana.
Ampofo is urging members of the University of Ghana Council to heed her petition, arguing among other things that,Gandhi was racist against black people and honouring him will set a wrong example for students, as per local media in Ghana.But there have been voices which oppose the demand. Ocqauye, a professor of political science and a lawyer, said a decision to demolish the statue might have implications on diplomatic ties between Ghana and India.
But there have been voices which oppose the demand. Ocqauye, a professor of political science and a lawyer, said a decision to demolish the statue might have implications on diplomatic ties between Ghana and India."It will be most unnecessary, most uncalled for and not in the supreme interest of Ghanaians and we must know what serves our interest best," he said.
OPEN LETTER TO NATAL MERCURY
The petitioners referred to Gandhi's open letter to "The Natal Mercury" in 1894, saying he called black Africans as "kaffirs," a derogatory term for black people.
The petitioners referred to Gandhi's open letter to "The Natal Mercury" in 1894, saying he called black Africans as "kaffirs," a derogatory term for black people."A general belief seems to prevail in the Colony that the Indians are little better, if at all, than savages or the Natives of Africa. Even the children are taught to believe in that manner, with the result that the Indian is being dragged down to the position of a raw Kaffir," they quoted Gandhi as saying in the letter.
"A general belief seems to prevail in the Colony that the Indians are little better, if at all, than savages or the Natives of Africa. Even the children are taught to believe in that manner, with the result that the Indian is being dragged down to the position of a raw Kaffir," they quoted Gandhi as saying in the letter.Also Read: SPs Verma slams RSS over Mahatma Gandhi assassination
Rahul Gandhi takes U-turn, says did not blame RSS for Mahatma Gandhi's assassination

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[–]artashii 3 points4 points5 points  (1 child)
who cares what ghanians wanna do; we have no particular interests in that country. a statue removed from ghana is a gain or loss to no one but possibly ghana.
[–]i_lurk_here_a_lot 2 points3 points4 points  (0 children)
This is what one would call silly short term thinking. Unfortunately its far too common among Indians.
[–]Darknightysj 0 points1 point2 points  (0 children)
This reminds of that Rhodes statue issue.Anybody know what happened about it?
[–]MrJekyllMadhya Pradesh 0 points1 point2 points  (0 children)
This is going to be fun.
The ghanians have a point though, but then again, Gandhi had changed his view/actions later in life (and i am sure the statue shows an older Gandhi) :)
[–]samacharbot2 0 points1 point2 points  (0 children)
The students and teachers argue that Gandhis reference to black Africans as -kaffir- in some of his early writings reflected his racist mindset.

  • Some students and academics at the Ghana University are demanding its removal saying he was prejudiced against black people.
  • The students and teachers argue that Gandhi's reference to black Africans as "kaffir" in some of his early writings reflected his 'racist' mindset.
  • The students and teachers have also launched an online petition, asking authorities to facilitate "the removal of the statue of Gandhi" at the earliest.
  • Ampofo is urging members of the University of Ghana Council to heed her petition, arguing among other things that,Gandhi was racist against black people and honouring him will set a wrong example for students, as per local media in Ghana.

Here are some other news items:credits to u-sr33

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[–]Catchallexceptions -1 points0 points1 point  (0 children)
What Gandhi did was started dirty politics. And now its so deeply rooted in India, it corrupted everything from the inside.
[–]phelpme2 comment score below threshold-13 points-12 points-11 points  (2 children)
Some students and academics at the Ghana University are demanding its removal saying he was prejudiced against black people.
While in South Africa Gandhi used to himself clean toilets in which blacks took a dump, he also forced his wife to do so, how can he be a racist?
[–]dengskoloperIndia 2 points3 points4 points  (0 children)
Like would he would go in search of such toilets?
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