The provocation of this on going debate is the title and the “cancelled” mark on his photo. In the world of cancel culture, wildly associated with the “left spectrum of politics” or “woke culture” we tend to undo much of history with parts of history.

There are two Gandhi’s- one a carefully crafted history of Gandhi by the state - The Father of Nation. In a country devastated by violence and fragmented by interests, the state needed a unifying force. In this Gandhi as Mahatma, we are in pursuit of perfection, almost like a Google, answer to everything. This man could wave a magic wand and could have done so much more and he did not! Uncharitable to his contribution to fighting for equality during 1915-1948 as social reformer.

The other Gandhi- a politician. Until Gandhi arrived in the scene, the freedom movement was an elite debating club. He did the impossible by mobilising masses and make them part of nation building. Imagine bringing different castes into one fold! Many a times it meant making compromises. I personally wonder why Gandhi supported Khilafat Movement. I tend to settle on Gandhi, the politician who has to negotiate for support from one section for Hindu-Muslim unity.

Now to your point here questioning Gandhi’s commitment to caste. It is in the same framework of the parent story - an episode vs history.

Gandhi democratised an instrument of political protest. Satyagraha became a tool to fight for rights. Gandhi as early as 1915 said, “if it were proved to me that [untouchability] is an essential part of Hinduism, I for one would declare myself an open rebel against Hinduism itself.” It is this confidence he gave culminated in Vaikom Satyagraha, a land mark anti-caste movement and several others later.

A quick read-https://feminisminindia.com/2019/04/17/vaikom-satyagraha-anti-caste-movement/

Do not forget his stays in the Bangi colony while in Delhi. He practiced what he believed. This particular piece you cited should be seen as an episode trying to give dignity to a job not as justifying a regressive system.

PS: Love this discussion.