Antigua and Barbuda has dispatched a message to the government and people of India who are this month celebrating the 151st anniversary of the birth of Mohandas Karamchand (Mahatma) Gandhi, the Father of Indian nationalism.
Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, and led the struggle against British rule that eventually led to India becoming independent in 1947.
He also popularised the nonviolent approach to political protest that influenced many around the world including American black civil rights leader, Martin Luther King.
As much as he preached nonviolence in life, Gandhi himself came to a violent death when he was assassinated on January 30, 1948, by a man described as a Hindu fanatic.
In a letter to commemorate the life and impact of Mahatma Gandhi, Prime Minister Gaston Browne noted that from a distance the high regard which the people of the Caribbean held Gandhi was triggered by his strict adherence to a nonviolent solution to conflict.
“The ideal was imported into our people’s struggle for freedom and sovereignty,” PM Browne wrote.
He drew parallels between the founding of the first anti-colonial political party in Antigua and Barbuda, which he noted, virtually coincided with the freedom gained by India in 1947.
“This incredible act of ending colonial rule in India catalyzed the Antigua and Barbuda people of my grandfather’s generation. Utilising the trade union as the preferred vehicle, the leaders of many Anglo-Caribbean countries sought to achieve the Indian dream for their own country,” he added.
The prime minister also acknowledged that India’s protest of the apartheid system in South Africa raised at the United Nations in 1947 won hearts and minds and focused the world’s attention on this unjust system.
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
Who cares. What those did have to do with the economic conditions of our people.
Why are you so ignorant. You seem to have no understanding whatsoever. What a tragedy.
Who cares. What does this have to do with our condition
this racist clown? that thinks black people are dogs…..celebrate who? people pick up a book and read please…from his own mouth he hates us.
Yes and how much better off they are now lol
It amazes me. That we find the time to celebrate the birthdays of foreigners. However,we seldom recognized our own.The late Tim Hector should be recognized.The late George Weston should be recognized.He was the right hand man for Marcus Garvey that many of you would want to worship.
Has anyone ever seen the writings of Ghanfi and the things he said about black negro people? I would consider him a racist who was against what the White’s did to Indians but did not give a shit what was happening to black people in South Africa
He was a strong anti-capitalist and a solid socialist who was fully engaged in the freedom struggle for the people of South Africa and India. He lived and worked in South Africa for many years and was an activist in the freedom struggle there, and was greatly admired by the African National Congress and Nelson Mandela. You need to get your history right. Martin Luther King Jr. as a disciple of Ghandian nonviolence, and had nothing but the highest regard for Ghandi. Get your facts straight, please. V.C. Bird and the leaders of the Antigua freedom struggle were greatly inspired by Ghandi. Don’t try to change history, and don’t make racists of those who absolutely gave their lives to the struggle against racism, classism, and caste-ism. They all hated him, but he refused to bow down to any of them. India today could learn much from Ghandi.
You need to learn your history. He never struggled for black South Africans he fought for the Indian business class. As an editor for the Onion newspaper he compared blacks to cows and complained about sharing a cell with those animals. I’m sure you have internet access and a search engine. Please engage your mind before your mouth.
You need to get your facts right. Why were they pulling down his statues? I will tell you, after some of his writings and views about Black people came to ligh. Just go online and research for your,Google or utube can enlighten you
Why cancel my reply?
Didn’t Ghandi “cuddle up” with his own niece?
Yes, he slept naked with his two underaged nieces in the same house as his wife. Him being a pedo is not our concern however it is his racist attitudes and writings denigrating blacks is the problem.
ummmm we areeeee?
As a proud member of the Black race, I could and will never ever regard this worldly acclaimed, so-called icon of peace as one deserving of anything more from me but my utter contempt and disrespect. He was unapologetically indocentric and tried in vain to seek safe haven from the oppressive, racist white colonial rulers at the time for his equally despised race. He hated black people and this basic fact is evidenced in his easily researched private and public utterances. He is hailed today for his work as a freedom fighter for members of the Indian race against perceived injustices committed against them. He never condemned injustice as an evil against mankind., only when it concerned Indians from India, Pakistan, South Africa for example. Had he been successful he would gladly have replaced or willingly joined the ranks of the white oppressors of black people. He is revered today for his promotion of non-violent protest by the same tribe of people who later assassinated Martin Luther King for embracing and practicing the same principle of nonviolent protest.
Bottom line: Gandhi may have done great things for HIS people. Let THEM praise and worship him. I offer no apologies.
At least this topic brought out some very spirited debate…
Why? He was a know n racist.
ANTIGUANS LIKE I SAID BEFORE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE HELL TO CELEBRATE
I WISH THEY WOULD STUDY HISTORY A LITTLE MORE BEFORE THEY START CELEBRATING .
GANDHI WAS A RASIST TO THE NATIVE BLACK AFRICANS , GHANDI ONLY PROTESTED FOR HIS PEOPLE THE INDIANS ALTHOUGH THE BLACKS HAD NO FREEDOM
IN 1893 GANDI WROTE TO NATAL PARLIMENT SAYING THAT THE INDIANS WERE BETTER THAN THE SAVAGES OR THE NATIVES OF AFRICA
GANDHI ONLY TOOK UP THE PLIGHT FOR THE INDIANS. HE ALSO STATED THAT STATE POWER SHOULD REMAIN IN THE HANDS OF THE WHITE .
GANDHI ALSO TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF TO CALL THE NATIVE BLACK AFRICANS KAFFIRS.(DEROGATORY OR INSULD FOR BLACKS)
GANDHI ALSO IN 1904 WROTE THE THE JAHANNESBURG HEALTH COUNCIL THAT THEY MUST WITHDRAW THE AFRICAN KAFFIRS FROM AMOUNG THE INDIANS IN AN AREA THE CALL THE COOLIE LOCATION. ( THAT WAS WHERE A LOT OF INDIANS LIVED )
HE DID NOT WANTED THE INDIANS TO MIX WITH THE NATIVE BLACK AFRICANS. IN OTHERS HE WANTED SEGREGATION.GANDHI WAS WORKING WITH THE BRITISH COLONEL GOVERNMENT TO PROMOTE SEGREGATION.
GANDHI DID NOTHING FOR BLACK PEOPLE (HE FOUGHT ONLY FOR THR RIGHTS OF HIS INDIAN /COOLIE PEOPLE LIKE HE CALL THEM.
ANTIGUA KNOW YOUR HISTORY. IF YOU WANT TO CELEBRATE PEOPLE CELEBRATE
FREDRICK DOUGLAS , RICHARD ALLEN, DAVID WALKER, PRINCE HALL AND MANY OTHERS TO NUMEROUS TO MENTION
LEARN YOUR HISTORY. GANDHI ON KLOPP Y FOUGHT FIR HI AS PEOPLE THE INDIANDS OR WHAT HE CALL COOLIES.
Comments are closed.