The Making of the Mahatma Page #10

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still have to pay three pounds...

when your contract expires or go back

to India. Are you willing to pay?

No!

Then strike! Stop your work now.

We have left our homes for your cause

Gandhi Baba's wife and son are

in jail. Are you willing to join us?

Yes!

- Then follow us

Hail Gandhi Baba!

Stop!

Where do you think you are going?

Get back. Go back to your barracks

I'm warning you!

Go back, or I'll fire

Hail Gandhi Baba!

Hail Gandhi Baba!

Mr Gandhi, you must

call off the strike

Do you realise how much

we are losing everyday?

The miners are striking to protest

against the three pound tax

But what has the three pound tax

got to do with us?

If you want your workers

to come back to your mines...

then you must ask the government

to abolish the tax

But how can we do that?

That is a government matter.

We are only employers

If the workers have a legitimate

grievance against us...

we will be happy to listen to them

But you cannot ask us

to interfere with the government

The tax was imposed by the government

in your interest, gentlemen...

so that you would have captive labour

in your mines

The workers have no other weapon

but to strike

So you will not tell our workers

to return to the mine?

I'm sorry, I cannot do that.

- You have nothing to lose, Mr Gandhi

But will you compensate these poor,

misguided workers...

for the damage that

you have caused them?

There is no greater damage than

damage to one's self-respect, sir

I have met the big bosses who own

these mines and pay you your wages

They are very angry.

As long as you are on strike...

it is not correct for you to live

in the mine quarters...

and accept their rations. I will

take you all to Tolstoy Farm...

and you can stay there

until the strike is over

But please think very carefully

before you come with me

Because you may lose your jobs

and houses

But if you value your dignity and

your freedom, then come, march with me

Salutations to our Motherland!

You are all soldiers of satyagraha now

and you will get a soldier's ration

That's all I can give you.

We will march for 25 miles a day

Please, only take as much

as you can carry. Yes?

We will cross the border

and hopefully we will get arrested

You may even get assaulted...

but please remain true and firm

to your creed of non-violence

And remember, it is important to

respect other people's property

What's going on here?

The coolies are going

to be here in two days

We should shoot them before

they create anymore havoc

Not one coolie should be

allowed in town

Send them back to the mines, because

they are bad influence on the coffin

Fellow citizens, please

What are you angry about? The Indians

aren't coming to live in Folksrist

They are merely passing through.

- Passing through?

Who are you? Never seen you before.

- He's a coolie lover

We don't want any coolie booties

in town. Throw him out

What's the matter with you, my friend?

Are you afraid to fight them?

I have pledge myself to non-violence.

You must be kind to them

Really?

Why do you want to lay your hands

on innocent men and women?

Who ask only for

the removal of an unjust tax

What tax?

- They will pass through in peace...

and they will just keep on going.

That is the kind of people they are

They want to appeal to your hearts.

Please, be reasonable

I appeal to you in the name of God...

- What do they know about God?

Mohan-bhai! Trunk-call to Pretoria.

It's coming through

Please carry on

Yes, this is M.K. Gandhi. I would like

to speak to General Smuts, please

Mr Gandhi, sir.

He wishes to speak with you

I don't wish to speak to him

The minister is occupied.

May I take your message?

We are at Folksrist and we are

about to cross the border

Please tell General Smuts to

reconsider. It is still not too late

All we want him to do

is to abolish the three pound tax

Sir, they are about to march

into the Transvaal

If you agree to abolish the poll tax,

he will call off the march

Tell him to go to the devil. I do

not wish to deal with him anymore

The minister says

you may do as you please

He will have nothing more

to do with you

We only want to cross the border.

We do not want to harm anyone

We have strict orders

not to let anyone through

Wonder how long they will take to get

to the border and I don't even know...

how many of them they are.

We'll just have to wait here

I'll get that

Come in

Thank you

3000 Indian miners

are camping at Charlestown

1600 striking Indian miners marched

from Danhouse to Charlestown

1700 Indian miners have

left Newcastle for Charlestown

This is wonderful!

Gandhi! Who's Gandhi?

Yes?

What can I do for you?

- I have a warrant for your arrest

You have to come with me.

- Right now?

Yes

May I leave instructions please?

- Go ahead

The police have come to arrest me

Please continue the march...

at daybreak, as planned.

And only announce my arrest...

once you have halted for rations

Let's go

You are charged with...

having brought unauthorised persons

into the Transvaal

Do you have anything to say?

I plead guilty

for having done my duty

We have petitioned and pleaded

with little or no result

I'm now convinced that our non-violent

resistance and our own sufferings...

will ensure success.

I wish to apply for bail

Silence

I object, Your Honour. I ask that the

accused be remanded until the 14th...

until I've had time to

prepare the evidence

Every prisoner not charged with a

capital offence is entitled to bail

The accused is hereby granted bail

for an amount of 50 pounds

The magistrate himself!

To what do I owe this honour?

Mr Gandhi, would you

step aside a minute?

Please carry on

You are now my prisoner

And here is a list of others

who are to accompany you

I see that I have been

promoted in rank

Magistrates are coming to arrest me.

Am I to be tried here and now?

Come along. The court

is still is session

A moment please

I'll be back soon.

Please carry on

Mr Camley!

It's you this time

First a policeman,

then a magistrate...

and now the principal

immigration officer himself

Please stand aside, Mr Gandhi.

You are under arrest

Naidu! I'm going to jail,

I may not come back to the march

Proceed straight to Tolstoy Farm.

- Come with me

And please, all of you...

- You are not allowed to make speeches

Please maintain peace and harmony

We have come to arrest you.

Please do not offer any resistance...

and come with us peacefully

to the railway station

From there you will be taken

to jails in Natal

Workers strike!

"Sanitary Workers Join Strike"

"Sugar Refineries Close Down"

Come on men,

hold your formations there

Get back to work you bloody bastards!

Brothers, wait! Don't listen to them

We will continue our satyagraha until

the government has come to its knees...

no matter what the cost.

- You get them back to work at once

I cannot order them.

They are willed by their conscience

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