In history are many persons who have transcended borders

I have noticed the letters expressing disapproval of the proposal to rename Middle Street after Mahatma Gandhi. While it is not a nice thing to speak about persons, with respect to one of the writers, the least said, as others have already remarked, the better. However, in the most recent of these letters, GKH Lall’s, “Shake this blind obeisance to things and people foreign, “SN 10/7/2021, noted for its stridency and xenophobic fervour, the writer wonders how Indians would react to his proposal of naming a street in India after Cheddi Jagan. He feels they would think him presumptuous. Maybe not, as there are many places in India especially streets in New Delhi named after nonIndian persons.

As far as the proposal to rename Middle Street goes, which may not now become a reality given Mr. Lall’s strident and adamant, “Not here! Not anywhere here...do it there,” Guyana would not be the first country to honour the Mahatma in this manner. After all, we already have our Promenade Gardens Gandhi monument. Coming back to Mr. Lall’s hypothetical proposal, “I wonder if I were to propose a street in India being named after Cheddi Jagan, how the Indians would react,” I have shown how in my view Indians may not be averse to the idea. In fact, I believe it to be quite a brilliant idea.

Why shouldn’t India have places and streets named after her distinguished sons and daughters in the diaspora? In history there are many persons who, because of their achievement, struggles and values, transcend borders, so the question of “blind obeisance to things and people foreign” simply cannot apply to them. I am in no way an expert in Gandhi. This is best left to those who feel competent to remark on his “stain” and “failure.”

In conclusion, I have seen Mr. Lall’s strong admonition to Guyanese on “obeisance to things and people foreign,” as an argument against the proposal of naming Middle Street after Mahatma Gandhi. Based on this Nelson Mandela would also be seen as foreign. I am not part of any advocacy, but it is my hope that Mr. Lall would not start a campaign to un-name the Nelson Mandela Avenue.