The Making of the Mahatma Page #2

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Why don't you take it off?

- It will wear away with time

All this binds you to superstition

and ignorance

You should free yourself

from it, Mr Gandhi...

and come to Christ.

- If I am called, I will

God bless you

Hey you! Where do you think

you are going, you coolie?

This is the house of president Krueger.

No coolie is allowed on the pavement

What do you think you are doing,

pushing him off like that?

I told him this was the house

of President Krueger, sir

No coolie is allowed on this pavement.

- Are you all right, Mr Gandhi?

Yes

Do you know who this is?

This man is a barrister

A man of a very high status

Such men should be taught a lesson.

Why don't you take him to court?

I will be glad to testify.

- No, I don't wish to charge him

He is only following orders.

All coloured men are the same type

Did you hear that?

- Sorry sir, I was only doing my duty

That was a very

Christian act, Mr Gandhi

Is forgiveness a

Christian monopoly, Mr Baker?

Salaam, Tayab Seth

Who are you, young man?

- I'm Mohandas Gandhi

I'm working on Seth Abdullah's case

against you

Oh! And he asked you

to come and see me?

No. He asked me to avoid you

if I could

He's afraid you might

influence me in your favour

My cousin is a very suspicious man

May I make a suggestion?

Wouldn't it be better for both of you

to come to a mutual agreement?

With Abdullah?

- There's no harm in trying

You don't want to spend your time

and money on a court case, do you?

All Abdullah wants

to do is ruin me

How can I come to an agreement

with Abdullah?

He expects me to sell off my assets

and go bankrupt to repay him

Do you know what that will do

for my image in my community?

Will you at least consider it?

- Considered

Have some sherbet

Thank you

I've heard that you have a lot

of influence over the Indians here

Somewhat. Why?

It would be good to discuss

the problems Indians face here

I've been here for two days

and it's been... difficult

Do you think you could arrange

for a meeting?

I think it would help.

- I think so, too

To your left, Gandhi-bhai

I see the road bothers you.

- Why? Doesn't it bother you?

Gandhi-bhai, many things bother us

but the government just doesn't care

I live with an English lady.

Her street is very clean

It would be. The municipality cleans

those areas, they don't clean ours

Why? Don't you pay your taxes?

- Sure, we do

They will still not clean our roads.

- Then we should do it ourselves

You are a strange young man

My cousin hires you to fight a case

against me, and yet you befriend me

And now you want me to pick up a broom

and sweep the streets

What else would you have me do?

- Reconcile with your cousin

Yes!

Sydenham,

Durban

Friends, may I have

your attention please?

We are gathered here to say farewell

to our dear friend Mohandas Gandhi

He has been with us for a few months,

and in this short period of time...

he has endeared himself to us

He has achieved a great deal

He has got Abdullah Seth and

Tayab Seth to talk to each other

And I'm very pleased

to mention that they have agreed...

to settle the case

out of court

Gandhi-bhai, you are

a real miracle-worker

He has got our people in Pretoria

to get together...

to talk about their problems

and find solutions to these problems

Gandhi-bhai, we will all miss you...

- One minute, please

Gandhi-bhai, do you know anything

about this bill?

What bill?

- The new Indian Franchise Bill...

before the Natal parliament

How does that concern us?

- It does, Rustom kaka.

You are about to lose your vote

What use is the vote to us anyway?

Harry Eskam got us to vote for him once

And he won it. Since then

we haven't voted for anyone

How does it matter now

if they take away the vote?

This is the first nail in the coffin.

First you will lose your right to vote

Then your right to trade,

your right to property...

and finally, your right to

remain here as British citizens

You mean they will kick us all out?

- We must consult with Harry Eskam

Harry Eskam is the one

who has introduced the bill

Then you must take the case

How can I? I shall be leaving soon

But there are so many young educated

Indians here who can take up the case

There are, but they are Christians.

- So what?

Let us be frank. They are not like us.

- What difference does it make?

Has it mattered that he is a Parsi

and you are a Muslim and I a Hindu?

Why should it matter whether

they are Christians or that...

they speak Tamil or Telegu?

- Stay, Gandhi-bhai

Postpone your going. I think

you will be able to do something

Are you worried about the money?

- We can pay. What are your legal fees?

Don't worry, all of us can pay.

- No, I shall not take any fees

But I shall need money

for other things

The first thing to do is to

get the speaker of the Assembly...

to postpone any further discussion on

the bill until we present our petition

Then we must get signatures

to the petition from all Indians...

including Christians

And I'm going to need help

from all of you

So you will stay?

- Yes, but only for a month

Good morning, Mr Eskam.

- Good morning, gentlemen

What brings you to my neighbourhood?

- House renting, sir

Mr Gandhi is going

to be your neighbour

Really?

He's moving into a house

just down the road there

Well gentlemen,

let me not detain you

Mr Eskam, I wonder if I could speak

to you about a matter

Mr Gandhi is applying to register

as a barrister

Would you mind proposing his name?

- Well...

We will pay your usual fees of course.

- Of course

That won't be necessary. Mr Gandhi,

I'll see you in my chamber

I must apologise for this informality.

- It's all right

He seems reluctant

Don't worry, he'll do it.

He's in our debt

Your Honour, I oppose the application

on behalf of the Natal Law of Society

I beg to submit, the legal profession

is reserved for Europeans

The law, as it stands,

makes no distinction...

between Europeans and others

The court has therefore

no authority...

to prevent Mr Gandhi being enrolled

as an attorney

We admit his application

Mr Gandhi, you can take the oath

I... state your name

I, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi...

do swear...

- do swear...

that I will truly and honestly

demean myself...

that I will truly and honestly

demean myself...

in the practice of law...

- in the practice of law...

according to the best of

my knowledge and ability...

according to the best of

my knowledge and ability...

and further...

- and further...

that I will be faithful

to Her Majesty's colony of Natal

that I will be faithful

to Her Majesty's colony of Natal

You must now submit to

the rules of the court...

with regard to the dress to be worn

by practicing attorneys

You can't wear your turban

As Your Honour pleases

I don't understand. Why did you take

your turban off? Earlier you refused

I was a visitor then,

I'm an officer of this court now

I cannot disregard a custom.

- Yes, but I still think it's important...

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