Tempering praise with historical facts

Firstly the British Indian Army was not fighting for India but for Empire, an Empire built on race and the supremacy of the Western white Christian Englishman over all other races. The other races in fact became the "white mans burden". To remind you Australia became "successful" by keeping the a whites only policy for immigrants up until 1973.
The European narrative of both wars was that of "the superior race" and Hitler was one of those Europeans. It was Indian soldiers who imprisoned Mahatma Gandhi and all freedom fighters up until 1944. Those in jail where fighting for India's Independence, not the Indian soldier standing guard outside the jail on orders from London.
Most of all it's my personal experience of growing up in the White Highlands of colonial Kenya of the 60's which moulded me, that of segregation, whites only clubs, schools, hotels and housing. This is where I formed a bond with the Mahatma and his vision and struggle for India.
Jayesh A Patel
By email