Gandhi’s Support for “Purity of Race”

In response to the rise of white nationalist politics, which
stressed racial separation, Gandhi wrote in his Indian Opinion
of September 24, 1903
“We believe as much in the purity of race as we think
they do, only we believe that they would best serve these interests,
which are as dear to us as to them, by advocating
the purity of all races, and not one alone. We believe also
that the white race of South Africa should be the predominating
race.”

On December 24, 1903, Gandhi added this in his Indian
Opinion newspaper
“The petition dwells upon `the co-mingling of the colored
and white races.’ May we inform the members of the
Conference that so far as British Indians are concerned,
such a thing is particularly unknown. If there is one thing
which the Indian cherishes more than any other, it is the purity
of type.”

“The Prominent Race”

In the Government Gazette of Natal for Feb. 28 1905, a Bill
was published regulating the use of fire-arms by Blacks and Indians.
Commenting on the Bill, Gandhi wrote in his newspaper,
the Indian Opinion on March 25, 1905:
“In this instance of the fire-arms, the Asiatic has been
most improperly bracketed with the natives. The British Indian
does not need any such restrictions as are imposed by
the Bill on the natives regarding the carrying of fire-arms.
The prominent race can remain so by preventing the native
from arming himself. Is there a slightest vestige of justification
for so preventing the British Indian?”

Gandhi’s Role in the Bambetta Uprising

In 1906, a Zulu rebellion against British rule took place in
the colony of Natal. His alleged pacifist ideals notwithstanding,
Gandhi joined up with the British forces and became an ambulance
stretcher bearer, helping to suppress the Black rebellion,
known as the Bambetta Uprising. In his memoirs of the campaign
to help the British defeat the Blacks, Gandhi wrote of
how he saw a “Kaffir who did not wear the loyal badge” – i.e.,a Zulu who was not loyal to the British and who had taken part
in the uprising against the White British colonial rule.
“As we were struggling along, we met a Kaffir who did
not wear the loyal badge. He was armed with an assegai
and was hiding himself. However, we safely rejoined the
troops on the further hill, whilst they were sweeping with
their carbines the bushes below.”
Gandhi also remarked on how unreliable these “loyal”
Blacks were:
“The Natives in our hands proved to be most unreliable
and obstinate. Without constant attention, they would as
soon have dropped the wounded man as not, and they
seemed to bestow no care on their suffering countryman.”

“The Native – Little Benefit to the State” – Gandhi

The Indian Opinion published an editorial on September 9,
1905, under the heading “The relative Value of the Natives and
the Indians in Natal.” In it, Gandhi referred to a speech made
by Rev. Dube, an early African nationalist, who said that an African
had the capacity for improvement, if only the Whites
would give them the opportunity. In his response, Gandhi suggested:

“A little judicious extra taxation would do no harm; in
the majority of cases it compels the native to work for at
least a few days a year.”
Then he added
“Now let us turn our attention to another and entirely
unrepresented community – the Indian. He is in striking contrast with the native. While the native has been of little benefit to the State, it owes its prosperity largely to the Indians.
While native loafers abound on every side,that species of humanity is almost unknown among Indians here.”

Gandhi the media made icon was racist beyond shadow of doubt.