The Secret Diary of Kasturba by Neelima Dalmia Adhar

Author:Neelima Dalmia Adhar [Adhar, Neelima Dalmia]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Westland Ltd
Published: 2016-09-26T16:00:00+00:00

16 August 1908

On the precincts of the Hamid Mosque in Johannesburg, a congregation of 3,000 Hindus, Muslims, Parsis and Christians had converged for a peaceful demonstration. In the centre of the front yard, on a raised platform was a large African cooking pot with a jerry can of kerosene oil placed beside it. More than 2,000 Registration Certificates lay stacked alongside, ready to be thrown into the fire. It was the largest satyagraha ever planned by Mohandas, who by then had completely abandoned his law practice to devote all his time for the movement.

As the deadline given by Mohandas to repeal the draconian Black Act imposed by the government neared, the crowd got restive. At 4 pm, a messenger riding a bicycle arrived at the mosque carrying a telegram from the authorities. The stiffly worded missive was read out to the agitated crowd—

The Black Act shall not be repealed. No change in the government’s stand.

The frenzied crowd surged forward and began hurling the certificates into the cauldron. Someone poured kerosene oil into the pot and a burning matchstick set the bundle on fire, amidst loud continuous cries of ‘Burn them! Burn them!’ Tall flames leapt out of the cauldron and the crowd began to clap wildly. From somewhere amongst them Mir Alam, the Pathan who had assaulted Mohandas, appeared onto the platform and Mohandas embraced him. Loud cries of cheer and applause rent the air again.

The next morning, all the newspapers carried reports of the massive satyagraha. The Daily Mail compared the certificate-burning episode by the Indians of Johannesburg to the famous Boston Tea Party of the American Revolution. For the satyagrahis and Mohandas, this was a momentous victory.

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