Disagree with GHK Lall, agree with naming a street after Gandhi

Oct 10, 2021 Letters

Dear Editor,

Reference is made to GHK Lall’s “Gandhi – confessions and acknowledgement” (Oct. 8) in response to a suggestion to rename a street after the iconic leader. Lall made reference to Gandhi’s view of Black South Africans and queried whether the Indian government would name a street after a Guyanese.
I think Lall is one of the more objective writers in the media, and he seems to possess much knowledge on varied issues and topics, a rarity among Guyanese. But his background and knowledge of Gandhi and of names of places in India seems limited.
It is true that in his earliest encounters with Black South Africans, Gandhi made a distasteful remark about them that could be interpreted as anti-Black. Gandhi came to South Africa as a 21-year-old lawyer who never encountered Blacks before. He was in Durban to represent a client in court. He did not go to South Africa to represent interests of Africans, but of Indians who, like Indo-Guyanese, were taken to South Africa as indentured labourers on sugar plantations. He represented his client with the highest of ethics. He grounded with Indians initially and later Blacks as well. He did not know the history of the society or the socio-economic position of Black Africans. His impression of Blacks was formed from his early encounters, and he was not aware of the racism of the society. However, over time, a matured Gandhi displayed a deep understanding of the Black South Africans and the African people as a whole. He empathised with them, and he championed their struggle, equality, and freedom. He fought against racism and for the upliftment of Blacks.
In a speech in 1908, Gandhi remarked, “Who can think of the British Empire without India? South Africa would be a howling wilderness without the Africans.” He also stated that it was “the responsibility of the British to raise the Africans to equality with themselves, to give them absolutely free institutions and make them absolutely freemen”. In another speech in 1910, Gandhi remarked, “Africans alone are the original inhabitants of the land. … The whites, on the other hand, have occupied the land forcibly and appropriated it to themselves”. Those views are in sharp contrast with his initial impression of Blacks made in 1893 – a complete evisceration of any prejudicial feelings, a completely transformed Gandhi.
On naming places or streets in India, I don’t know if GHK Lall ever visited India. There are several streets named after non-Indians and foreigners – Africans, Whites, Chinese or Orientals, Arabs, Hispanic, Christians, and Muslims – including after Kwame Nkrumah, Nelson Mandela, ML King, JF Kennedy, among others. In fact, there is an Africa Avenue. I am sure the Indian government would have no objection naming a place after a Guyanese if deserving. Lall is of the view that names of places and streets should be named after Guyanese. Is he proud of some streets and places named after the late dictator Forbes Burnham and his daughters and wife? Would it not be better if those places are named after Gandhi?
And Gandhi is not a foreigner for Guyanese. His life transcended boundaries. He is a global citizen. He fought against indentureship, putting an end to the inhumane system of labour in 1920. It is noted that almost every country has a street or place named after Gandhi. Guyana is yet to name a place after the iconic leader. It is about time.

Yours truly,
Vishnu Bisram

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News