Gandhiji from South Africa on the position of British Indians there

BRITISH INDIAN ASSOCIATION

25 & 26 Court Chambers

    Rissik Street

           Johannesburg, 10^th April, 1905

Dear Sir,

              “Mr. Lyttelton is reported to have said that since the decision in the test case in the Transvaal, the position of the British Indians had become better than before War. You will notice a reply to this statement in the “Indian Opinion” of the 8^th April in its first leading article. The position generally has certainly not become better, it has become worse than before War, and the relief that the test case has secured for the Indians simply takes them back to the pre-War days; but even for this the Government can hardly take any credit as they opposed the Indian contention strenuously before this Supreme Court.

                        In Natal, several bills, as you will see from the “Indian Opinion”, having an Anti-Indian tendency are being introduced, and the Orange River Colony is ever tightening its grip of the coloured people. Regulations are being passed in townships after townships, which, in my humble opinion, are unworthy of the British constitution, and could never be sanctioned by Mr. Lyttelton if they were introduced in the form of bills in the Legislative Council.’’

                                                                                                                 I remain,

                                                                                                      Yours faithfully,

Mr. Dadabhai Naoroji,

  22 Kennington Rd.

       LONDON.

Source: M.K. Gandhi (Pyarelal) Vth Inst. Vol. 3