#GandhiMustFall: Was Mahatma Gandhi racist?
We explore the Indian independence icon’s legacy as a statue is pulled down in Ghana.
The University of Ghana has removed a statue of the Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi, citing complaints from faculty and students that he was racist toward black Africans. The statue was donated to the university in 2016 by the Indian government, prompting critics to create the hashtag #GandhiMustFall to draw attention to derogatory statements the young Gandhi had written while living in South Africa.
Gandhi is considered an icon of social justice and defenders of his legacy contend that his writings, while ignorant, should be considered within the greater context of his life and struggle against oppression. Organisers of the hashtag campaign argue that Gandhi’s legacy doesn’t justify racism or his view that Africans were “inferior”.
In this episode, we speak with Gandhi historians and #GandhiMustFall campaigners to explore the impact of Mahatma Gandhi’s reported racism on his legacy as a champion of civil rights. Join the conversation.
On this episode of The Stream, we speak with:
Ọbádélé Kambon, Ph.D
Research Coordinator of Language, Literature and Drama, University of Ghana
obadelekambon.com
Rama Lakshmi @RamaNewDelhi
Editor, Opinion The Print
theprint.in
Zachariah Mampilly @Ras_Karya
Professor of Political Science and Africana Studies, Vassar College
vassar.edu
Read more:
Statue of ‘racist’ Gandhi removed from Ghana university campus – Al Jazeera
What did Mahatma Gandhi think of black people? – Washington Post
Some of Gandhi’s Early Views on Africans Were Racist. But That Was Before He Became Mahatma – The Wire
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