A Struggle with Power

To turn now to the Asiatic department.

Now let me turn to the Asiatic department.

Johannesburg was the stronghold of the Asiatic officers. I had been observing that far from protecting the Indians, Chinese and others, these officers were grinding them down. Every day I had complaints like this: ‘The rightful ones are not admitted, whilst those who have no right are smuggled in on payment of £100. If you will not remedy this state of things, who will?’ I shared the feeling. If I did not succeed in stamping out this evil, I should be living in the Transvaal in vain.

Johannesburg was the stronghold of the Asiatic officers. I had noticed that, far from protecting Indians, Chinese, and others, these officers were oppressing them. Every day I heard complaints like this: ‘People who have a right to enter are not admitted, while those who have no right are smuggled in for £100. If you do not fix this situation, who will?’ I felt the same way. If I did not succeed in stamping out this evil, I would be living in the Transvaal in vain.

So I began to collect evidence, and as soon as I had gathered a fair amount, I approached the Police Commissioner. He appeared to be a just man. Far from giving me the cold shoulder, he listened to me patiently and asked me to show him all the evidence in my possession. He examined the witnesses himself and was satisfied, but he knew as well as I that it was difficult in South Africa to get a white jury to convict a white offender against coloured men. ‘But,’ said he, ‘let us try at any rate. It is not proper, either, to let such criminals go scot-free, for fear of the jury acquitting them. I must get them arrested. I assure you I shall leave no stone unturned.’

So I began collecting evidence. As soon as I had gathered a fair amount, I went to the Police Commissioner. He seemed to be a fair man. Far from turning me away, he listened patiently and asked to see all the evidence I had. He questioned the witnesses himself and was satisfied. But he knew as well as I did that in South Africa, a white jury was unlikely to convict a white offender for crimes against coloured men. ‘But,’ he said, ‘let us try anyway. It would not be right to let such criminals go free just because we fear the jury might acquit them. I must have them arrested. I assure you I will do everything I can.’

I did not need the assurance. I suspected quite a number of officers, but as I had no unchallengeable evidence against them all, warrants of arrest were issued against the two about whose guilt I had not the slightest doubt.

I did not need the assurance. I suspected quite a few officers, but I did not have indisputable evidence against all of them. So arrest warrants were issued for the two whose guilt I had no doubt about.

My movements could never be kept secret. Many knew that I was going to the Police Commissioner practically daily. The two officers, against whom warrants had been issued, had spies, more or less efficient. They used to patrol my office and report my movements to the officers. I must admit, however, that these officers were so bad that they could not have had many spies. Had the Indians and the Chinese not helped me, they would never have been arrested.

I could never keep my movements secret. Many people knew that I went to the Police Commissioner almost every day. The two officers who had warrants out for their arrest had spies of varying ability. The spies used to watch my office and report my movements to the officers. I must admit, however, that the officers were so bad that they could not have had many spies. If the Indians and the Chinese had not helped me, the officers would never have been arrested.

One of these absconded. The Police Commissioner obtained an extradition warrant against him and got him arrested and brought to the Transvaal. They were tried, and although there was strong evidence against them, and in spite of the fact that the jury had evidence of one of them having absconded, both were declared to be not guilty and acquitted.

One of them fled. The Police Commissioner obtained an extradition warrant, had him arrested, and brought him to the Transvaal. Both men were tried. There was strong evidence against them, and the jury knew that one of them had fled. Even so, both were found not guilty and acquitted.

I was sorely disappointed. The Police Commissioner also was very sorry. I got disgusted with the legal profession. The very intellect became an abomination to me inasmuch as it could be prostituted for screening crime.

I was deeply disappointed. The Police Commissioner was also very sorry. I became disgusted with the legal profession. I came to detest intellect itself because it could be misused to cover up crime.

However, the guilt of both these officers was so patent that in spite of their acquittal the Government could not harbour them. Both were cashiered and the Asiatic department became comparatively clean, and the Indian community was somewhat reassured.

However, both officers were so clearly guilty that the Government could not keep them on, despite their acquittal. Both were dismissed, and the Asiatic department became comparatively free of corruption. The Indian community was somewhat reassured.

The event enhanced my prestige and brought me more business. The bulk, though not all, of the hundreds of pounds that the community was monthly squandering in peculation, was saved. All could not be saved, for the dishonest still plied their trade. But it was now possible for the honest man to preserve his honesty.

The event improved my reputation and brought me more business. The community had been losing hundreds of pounds each month to theft. Most of that money, though not all of it, was saved. Not all of it could be saved, because dishonest people continued to steal. But honest people could now remain honest.

I must say that though these officers were so bad, I had nothing against them personally. They were aware of this themselves, and when in their straits they approached me, I helped them too. They had a chance of getting employed by the Johannesburg Municipality in case I did not oppose the proposal. A friend of theirs saw me in this connection and I agreed not to thwart them, and they succeeded.

I must say that although these officers were so bad, I held nothing against them personally. They knew this, and when they came to me in difficulty, I helped them too. They had a chance of getting jobs with the Johannesburg Municipality if I did not oppose the proposal. A friend of theirs came to see me about it, and I agreed not to stand in their way. They got the jobs.

This attitude of mine put the officials with whom I came in contact perfectly at ease, and though I had often to fight with their department and use strong language, they remained quite friendly with me. I was not then quite conscious that such behaviour was part of my nature. I learnt later that it was an essential part of Satyagraha, and an attribute of ahimsa.

My attitude put the officials I met completely at ease. Although I often had to challenge their department and use strong language, they remained friendly with me. At the time, I was not fully aware that this behavior was part of my nature. I learned later that it was an essential part of Satyagraha and a characteristic of ahimsa.

Man and his deed are two distinct things. Whereas a good deed should call forth approbation and a wicked deed disapprobation, the doer of the deed, whether good or wicked, always deserves respect or pity as the case may be. ‘Hate the sin and not the sinner’ is a precept which though easy enough to understand is rarely practised, and that is why the poison of hatred spreads in the world.

A person and their actions are two different things. A good action should be praised, and a wicked one should be condemned. But the person who acts always deserves respect or pity, as the case may be. ‘Hate the sin and not the sinner’ is a principle that is easy enough to understand, but rarely practiced. That is why the poison of hatred spreads through the world.

This ahimsa is the basis of the search for truth. I am realising every day that the search is vain unless it is founded on ahimsa as the basis. It is quite proper to resist and attack a system, but to resist and attack its author is tantamount to resisting and attacking oneself. For we are all tarred with the same brush, and are children of one and the same Creator, and as such the divine powers within us are infinite. To slight a single human being is to slight those divine powers, and thus to harm not only that being but with him the whole world.

This ahimsa is the basis of the search for truth. Every day, I realize that the search is in vain unless it is founded on ahimsa. It is perfectly right to resist and attack a system. But to resist and attack the person who created it is the same as resisting and attacking oneself. For we all share the same faults, and we are children of one and the same Creator. As such, the divine powers within us are infinite. To slight a single human being is to slight those divine powers. It harms not only that person but also the whole world.