Page 36 - GANDHI A Biography for Children and Beginners

GANDHI – A Biography for children and beginners

Government of British India to suspend the recruitment of indentured labour if

it could not protect Indian citizens or ameliorate their conditions. He also

wrote and published a booklet on the conditions of Indians in South Africa. He
had stated facts, and that too with his customary moderation…

When Gandhi received the urgent summons, he decided to cut short his stay in

India and return to South Africa with his family. He and his family boarded the
s.s. Courland, a ship that belonged to Dada Abdullah. Another ship of

Abdullah's, the Naderi, was also sailing at the same time. There were 800

indentured labourers travelling by these ships. Meanwhile, the white population
of Natal was in a state of mad fury. They had been infuriated by a news agency

report that Gandhi had published a scurrilous and hateful leaflet against the

whites of South Africa, and was bringing shiploads of Indian labourers to flood

South Africa. Whites held meetings and declared that they would teach Gandhi
a lesson. The flames of fury were fanned by leaders and officials. Thus, when

the ships arrived at the port, they were not allowed to dock.

They were kept at sea. Even when they were allowed to dock, the ships were
quarantined, and passengers were not allowed to disembark. Agents of the

white infuriated men were waiting at the dock to deal with Gandhi. After 23

days of quarantine, on the 13th of May, 1897, the passengers were allowed to
disembark. There were fears about Gandhi and his family. The family managed

to leave and reach the house of Parsi Rustomji safely. Gandhi received a

message from Mr.Escombe, the Attorney General, warning him about the mood

of the whites. He asked Gandhi to wait till night-fall, and leave the ship after
darkness had fallen. Gandhi had nearly decided to accept Escombe's advice

when he received a message from Mr. Laughton, the advocate of Dada Abdullah

advising him against accepting Escombe's suggestion, and informing him that he

himself was going over to the ship to accompany Gandhi.

Gandhi left the ship and walked down with Laughton, with the intention of

walking to the house of his colleague, Parsi Rustomji. Kasturba and the family
had already reached the house. Soon after Gandhi and Laughton set out, those

who were holding vigil spotted Gandhi by his turban. Alerted by them, a crowd

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