The plight of 'Mahatma Gandhi' in South Africa
Posted by Harish.S at Thursday, January 28, 2010
1 Comments
When I was thinking about what to post today, I read the previous post about Nehru. Suddenly these incidents came to my mind and I feel every Indian needs to know this.
- We all know Gandhi is a barrister. AndGandhi went to South Africa in 1890 to lend hands in solving a case on trading. Barristers were respectful and influential persons in those times. But in SA Indians faced severe racial discrimination. Gandhi during his early face of life faced severe difficulties than those he faced in India during 1930's. In SA Gandhi was harasses in every way possible because of his strict life style and strong mind. Gandhi was not even given a single room in any hotel when he reached SA for the first time because he was a colored person. 'BLACK' people are not allowed to use any service used by the so called 'WHITES'. This situation prevailed in SA for many years together.
- Another instant of hardship for Gandhi happened when he was going from Johannesburg to Natal where he was thrown out of the train for travelling in first class. Whites are only allowed to travel in fiirst class in SA. Gandhi being a barrister insisted on first class ticket and refused to get out of the train. So he was forcefully removed by the guards and he travelled in a tram to the place. Another time when he was traveeling in first class in same route, he got the same treatment but another white person stopped the guard saying that he has a tiket and has all rights to travel in first class and he has no problem in travelling with Gandhi.
- Gandhi faced severe oppositon in getting approval to practice law in SA for the only reason of him being a black. He had to undergo a rigorous process to get approval which nearly took him two months his one year work schedule.
There are many instances which i can keep on telling about the difficult situation Gandhi has faced in his early days as a young barrister. These struggles has sowed the seeds of severe determination and hardened mind. Even though there are lot of negative aspects which we can tell about Gandhi, the way in which he fought for Indians in South Africa and India is really commendable. "No one is perfect except GOD". GAndhi is also human, so mistakes are obvious. The fact we should see is his determination not to repeat it and to live for the motherland. He is rightly called the 'The fater of our Nation' and 'Bapu' which is a hindi wod that means 'father'. Till this world exits Gandhi will be the symbol for peace and non-violence.
