SAN FRANCISCO, March 28, 2011 – Protesting Indian government corruption and demanding that Mohandas Gandhi’s statue be removed, Indian minorities hosted a rally in front of that statue in San Francisco on Saturday. Calling the event an “Ambedkar Rally,” Bhajan Singh, an organizer of the rally, stated: “India’s corruption starts with Gandhi, the father of India.”

The rally, sponsored by Organization for Minorities of India (OFMI), coincided with a separate event called Dandi March II. Described by organizers as a “walk against corruption,” the pro-Gandhi march began in San Diego two weeks previously and concluded at the Gandhi statue. The Ambedkar Rally began first, however, and marchers were greeted at the statue by a sea of signs with messages such as: “Gandhi, corruption is thy name.” A banner reading “Gandhi’s Hindu Caste Varnashrama Dharma: Mother of All Corruptions” was draped over the bronze statue.

Donated by the Gandhi Memorial International Foundation headed by Yogesh K. Gandhi, a relative of the Hindu leader, the statue was unveiled on October 3, 1988. Gifted to the city, it was then valued at $120,000. Gandhi became embroiled in corruption in 1996 after donating $325,000 to the Democratic National Committee (DNC), money which a U.S. Senate investigation discovered had been given him by a Japanese national.

Flyers distributed at the rally contained information from Gandhi’s writings showing his support for racial segregation in South Africa and disdain for those he considered lower-caste. Describing Gandhi as the creator of India’s poor and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, a hero for the so-called low-caste, as the true father of India’s poor, participants demanded an immediate removal of the statue. Security guards for the ferry building privately agreed with OFMI leaders that the statue should be taken down.

Journalists in attendance were shown copies of a recent Wall Street Journal book review of Great Soul, which corroborates claims OFMI says it has been making for over five years. “Gandhi’s corrupt racial views were foundational to India,” remarked Arvin Valmuci, operations manager for OFMI. “He directly inspired a section of India’s constitution that denies so-called low-caste peoples from identifying with anti-caste religions. Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs — the three major religions founded specifically to oppose the Hindu caste system — are required by Article 25 to identify as Hindus. Today, it is his political party, called the Indian National Congress, which controls India.”

Article 25 of the Indian Constitution states: “Hindus shall be construed as including a reference to persons professing the Sikh, Jaina or Buddhist religion.” To support his claim, Valmuci cited a 1947 prayer speech in which Gandhi claimed: “It cannot be said that Sikhism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism are separate religions. All these four faiths and their offshoots are one.”

Participants in the opposing events shouted slogans, with marchers saying “Gandhi Zindabad” and Ambedkar rally participants responding with “Long Live Bhagat Singh” and “Long Live Ambedkar.” The marchers did agree, however, to support minority causes, such as the persecution of the Dalits, Sikhs and others by the Indian government. “It is crucial to begin a cross-cultural dialogue on these issues,” said Bhajan Singh, a director of OFMI. “We must not turn a blind eye to the realities of Gandhi’s actions. Brushing uncomfortable truths under the rug only ensures continued corruption.”

Some of the organizers of Dandi March II, which occurred on the 81st anniversary of Mohandas Gandhi’s historic Salt Satyahgraha, also called Dandi March, insisted their walk had nothing to do with the infamous Hindu leader. However, the conclusion of their march at the Gandhi statue was led by Nitin Shah, a man dressed in a clear homage to Gandhi’s traditional outfit of homespun cloth, sandals and a walking stick. The other marchers were clad in shirts bearing Gandhi’s silhouette. One organizer named Kewal Parnami even told a journalist: “Gandhi is my idol. I just want to be like him.”

Ujjal Dosanjh, a member of Canada’s Parliament from Vancouver, was scheduled to greet marchers at the statue. An ardent admirer of Gandhi, he actively promotes the Hindu leader. He pulled out of the event at the last minute, however, rather than face the anger of Indian minorities. Although Dandi March II was conducted to oppose incidents of corruption like the 2G Scam, members of the OFMI rally insisted that issues such as the use of Indian police and soldiers to massacre minority populations are of far greater concern. They pointed out that even the donor of the Gandhi statue was himself deeply mired in corruption.