Gandhiji’s prison life-2

General Smuts, who had agreed to repeal the Black Act if the Asiatics would voluntarily register themselves, went back on his words. While the voluntary registrations were validated, the original act was still in the books, so that those who did not register voluntarily before the cut-off date and the later entrants were subject to the obnoxious Act. The Indians intensified the agitation. Those who voluntarily registered gathered and made a bonfire of about 2000 certificates. Those who were outside Transvaal entered the state without permit. Both the resident Indians and those who entered without certificates started hawking goods without permits, which was a violation of law. They were arrested and sent to jail for periods ranging from two to three months with rigorous labour and fine. Those who courted arrest included prominent businessmen.

Gandhiji pleaded with General Smuts that while many in the rank and file of passive resisters were suffering imprisonment, he himself who was the chief instigator was still at large. He asked,” Is it courageous to leave me alone and harass the poor Indians?”

On September 29, 1908, Gandhiji was arrested with 15 others. On October 15 he was fined 25 Pounds or to undergo imprisonment for two months with hard labour. Gandhiji said he would not pay the fine and would go to jail. The Judge remarked, “I very much regret to see Mohandas Gandhi, an officer of this court and of Supreme Court in the present position. Gandhi may feel otherwise looking at the situation in the light that he is suffering for his country. But I can view it only from the other point of view”

The charge against Gandhiji was he was not able to produce the certificate (having consigned it to flames) and was not prepared to affix fingerprints as a mark of identification.

He was sent to Volkrust prison and given the job as a sweeper and also to work digging the earth. He sent a message to the passive resisters lodged in different prisons,” Keep absolutely firm to the end. Suffering is our remedy. Victory is certain.”

On October 27, Gandhiji was transferred to Johannesburg prison. He was lodged with dangerous criminals and had to keep awake throughout the night. He was released in the first week of December 1908, after the end of the term

In his moving letter to Kasturbai from prison he writes, “I have received West’s telegram about your illness. I feel heartbroken. But I cannot come to look after you. I have sacrificed all in Satyagraha struggle. I can come only if I pay the fine. And that is not to be done. You must not lose heart. You will certainly get well if you regulate your diet. Even it is my fate to lose you, I love you so much even if you are dead you will always be alive to me. You should depart with faith in God. Such death will be in accordance with the principle of Satyagraha.”

Gandhiji’s Prison Life -1

Transvaal Government in South Africa passed an Act on 21st March 1907. The Act required Asians to register themselves with the authorities, and many humiliating conditions were attached to the registration and production of the Registration Certificate. The Passive Resistance Association led by Gandhiji carried on an intensive non-violent struggle against this Act. The form of protest was to defy the legislation and refuse to register and undergo whatever punishment was inflicted. . Even after two extensions, only 500 out of the total of 13000 registered themselves. Irked by the lukewarm response, General Smuts decided that the leaders who instigated the resistance were to be arrested. Accordingly Gandhiji and several others were produced before the court on 28th December 1907. The magistrate ordered that they should leave the country within 48 hours. The time limit expired on 10th January 1908. They were produced in the court on the same day. Before the magistrate, Gandhiji submitted that resisters in Pretoria had been sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labour and also were levied a hefty fine. He pleaded that as his own offence was much greater, he should be given a more severe punishment. But the magistrate chose to give him only two months’ simple imprisonment.

The clothes that were given to Gandhiji were very dirty. Gandhiji reconciled himself to wear them. The cell door was locked at 6:00PM. The door was not made of bars but was quite solid. There was a small aperture high up in the wall so that the feeling was that of having been locked up in a safe. In South Africa there were only two classes of convicts, namely whites and Blacks, i.e. the Negroes. , and the Indians were classed with Negroes. The next day it was informed that prisoners without hard labour were entitled to keep their own private clothing. Otherwise they would be given special clothing appropriate to their class. They opted to get clothing assigned to Negro prisoners not punished with hard labour. As such clothing was not available; the Satyagrahis opted to take the clothing assigned to hard labour Negro prisoners. The food allowed in the jail was not only not tasty but was indigestible. The prisoners were later allowed to cook their own food. Even though they were not called upon to join the physical exercises, they took part in the drill sessions. During the Jail term, Gandhiji read books by Carlyle, Johnson, Scott, Bacon, Ruskin and Tolstoy. He started translating books by Carlyle and Ruskin into Gujarati, but the task could not be fulfilled as he and his colleagues were released on 30th January 1909, as a result of an agreement reached with General Smuts.

How this agreement resulted in difficulties for Gandhiji. How General Smuts reneged on his words as a result of which Gandhiji hardened his stand and intensified his struggle is another matter which requires a separate study.

This was the first jail term of Gandhiji which lasted for 381 days.