In South Africa’s racial hatred filled air Indians were considered fit only to be coolie. When it was revealed that Mohandas was a qualified Barrister the Whites jeered, “Oh! A coolie Barrister!”
During that period there was intense colour racialism. The Indians visiting Africa or the ones settled there were called coolies and they were a hated lot. A number of restrictions were slapped on them. On every occasion the whites considered it their duty to insult the coolies alias Indians. Coolies could not travel in first class in trains. They were ordered to walk on the road sides only.
The Indians living there had become used to it. Their motto was ‘Compromise and make money.’Every white man stared at coolie Mohandas Gandhi in turban and European suit.
Shocking hatred games
Mohandas Gandhi had experienced whitemen’s hatred in India. But the colour prejudice and racial hatred in South Africa was something beyond his imagination.
One day Seth Abdullah took him to the court to give him the feel of South African atmosphere. As soon as the judge saw turbaned Mohandas Gandhi he spat and ordered him to take off his bloody turban thing. Mohandas didn’t like it. But Seth Abdullah told him that was how things were in Africa for Indians. It was a shocker for Gandhi. He didn’t take off turban and did the next best thing. He left the court.
One day, Seth Abdullah got Mohandas on the train to Pretoria. Infact, the case he employed Mohandas for was being pursued in the court of that city. The rival party Seth Abdullah was fighting against lived in Pretoria. A white lawyer was already pleading the case for Abdullah. But the case involved understanding letters written in Gujarati sent from India which whiteman could not do. Thus, basically Mohandas Gandhi was hired to translate the Gujarati letters for the benefit of the English lawyer.
Seth Abdullah wanted to send Gandhi to Pretoria in sleeper car. But Gandhi didn’t want to put unnecessary financial burden on his client. He preferred to travel by first class.
Thus, he started his journey in the first class compartment.
At Natal state capital Moritzberg, Mohandas Gandhi was asked if he needed bed. Gandhi had his own bed. He told them that he would not need any bed. Just then a whiteman entered the compartment. He looked at Mohandas Gandhi with utter distaste and surprise. He walked out and returned with a couple of railway officials.
The superior officer said to Gandhi, “You will travel in second class.”
“Why?” Gandhi asked and added, ‘‘I have got first class ticket.’’
“That makes no difference. You must shift to another compartment.”
“I have been seated in this coach and I will travel in this coach.”
“No. You will get down. If you don’t we will have railway police throw you out.”
“Let them throw me out. I won’t get down on my own.”
The party left the scene. Shortly later two men in uniform came and they threw out Gandhi’s luggage. Then, Gandhi was pushed out of the first class compartment.
Gandhi decided not to travel by second or the third class in protest. He sat down on the platform. The train steamed off. Gandhi’s heart was very sad. The colour prejudice was tyrannical there. That place was cold. Gandhi shivered all night and anguish roasted him from inside.
Next day, Gandhi complained to the General Manager of Railways through a telegram. He also informed Seth Abdullah. Seth personally met the General manager who assured that the matter would be looked into. The General Manager sent a telegram instructing the Moritzberg station master to send Gandhi to Pretoria in a suitable manner.
The train Gandhi was put on didn’t go straight to Pretoria. He had to get down at a station named Charlesdown. He was to travel by a horse coach up to Standerton. His first class railway ticket was valid for the coach as well.
But again he became victim of the racial hatred. All the coach seats were taken up by the Whites. Gandhi was forced to sit outside by the side of the coach driver.
Gandhi’s blood boiled at the humiliating treatment he was being meted out only because he was Indian coolie, to be exact a coolie Barrister.
On the way the coach was stopped. A whiteman came out of the coach and barked at Mohandas Gandhi, “Coolie!” He wanted to sit on that seat to smoke and enjoy fresh air. Gandhi was expected to sit at his feet.
Mohandas Gandhi said, “Isn’t that enough that inspite of having the first class ticket I am travelling sitting outside? I won’t sit at your feet.”
The whiteman climbed up and began slapping, punching and pushing off Gandhi to throw him down. Gandhi clung to the banister and refused to be thrown off.
Suffering such racial horrors Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi reached Johnansberg.
From there he was again to travel by train to reach Pretoria. He had to buy ticket again because the ticket he had got lost while struggling with the whiteman on the horse coach.
The station master advised, “You are black. It won’t do you any good to travel in the first class. Even if I gave you first class ticket you might not travel in first class. If some Englishman saw you he would get you down and pack you off to the lower class.”
The station master was a Dutch. So, he had sympathy for an Indian. Anyway Gandhi insisted on first class ticket and got it.
On the way a white ticket checker objected to Gandhi’s presence in the first class coach. He asked Gandhi to get down and go to third class coach.
Mohandas Gandhi firmly said, “I have bought first class ticket.”
“So what?” The ticket checker barked.
An Englishman was travelling in the same compartment. When he saw the ticket checker harassing Gandhi he intervened, “Let him sit. I have no objection to his presence.”
Gandhi at last reached Pretoria.
It was not the end of his racial torments. He couldn’t find any place in hotels. No hotel would take a coolie as its guest. Then, a black man came to his rescue and got him a room with a kind hearted white hotelier who didn’t believe in colour racialism.
The man was Mr. Johnston. But he had his own problems. He could not invite Gandhi to the hotel dining room for meals for fear of earning the wrath of other white customers. Mohandas Gandhi said that he would not mind getting served food in his room.
Shopping Cart
