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Comment by iamshs | Hacker News Reader

Gandhi promoted caste apartheid and actively went on a hunger strike to prevent 'lower castes'/'untouchables' from getting representation in Parliament. This event was whitewashed in our school books as Gandhi did it to prevent English from breaking Hindu unity as not anyone reduce Gandhi's bargaining power. Gandhi also suppressed India's linguistic diversity and promoted Indians to have only one language. Here again, he used the crutch of Britishers forcing English on Indians. He wanted to assimilate and absorb diverse religions of India into Hinduism too. More I learn about him, more I hate him.

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That is just plain bullshit. He called them harijans which from today's cultural standpoint looks patronizing, but he had nothing but altruistic intentions for them and wanted the caste system gone.

Ok, change my view. Quoting him directly, “I believe that caste has saved Hinduism from disintegration. One of my correspondents suggests that we should abolish the caste system but adopt the class system of Europe, meaning that the idea of hereditary castes should be rejected. I am inclined to think that the law of heredity is an eternal law and any attempt to alter it must lead to utter confusion. Hindus believe in transmigration of the soul and Nature will adjust the balance by degrading a Brahmin if he misbehaves to a lower caste, and upgrading one who lives the life of a Brahmin to a Brahmin in his next life.”

He believes in hereditary inherited caste apartheid. Any wiggle room in his words there?

I guess you are right. But that isn't going to reduce the role he played in India's Independence movement or the momentum he gave to the formation process of independent India. I will argue that the strength he gave to the peaceful formation of the republic later on facilitated the anti caste movements by later politicians in independent India.

> Gandhi promoted caste apartheid and actively went on a hunger strike to prevent 'lower castes'/'untouchables' from getting representation in Parliament.

Any source where I can read more about this ? Never heard this part about Gandhi.

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