Jain Shwetambar Conference Herald 1909 Book 05

Author(s): Mohanlal Dalichand Desai
Publisher: Jain Shwetambar Conference

Page 318

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જૈન કનકરન્સ હે.
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The hardship felt has been so great that many have succumbed owing to sheer exhaustion, Others have left the Colony and are probably to-day starving. A resolute band of over 300 continues an active struggle. Some have passed through the Transvaal gaols five times.
The covenanters are derived from all classes and strata of Indian Society. Hindus, Mahomedans, Parsees, Sikhs and Christians are all fighting India's battle. Merchants who have never undergone physical exertion and have been brought up in the lap of luxury are breaking stones, or doing scavenger's work, or wheeling barrows of earth and living on coarse mealie meal and boiled potatoes or rice and ghee.
We ask India to come to the rescue and demand from the Indian Government a removal of the bar sinister. Until the racial taint from the Transvaal legislation is removed, the little band of Indians referred to above will suffer unto death. We pray for relief. TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE
BENGAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,
CALCUTTA · Sir,-We, the undersigned, British Indians residing in the Transvaal, beg to approach you as the leader of Anglo-India. We approach you regarding the Asiatic struggle that has now been going on in this Colony for the past two years and a half.
We do not desire to trouble you with the history of the question. The point of dispute between the local Government and the British Indians is whether, as regards immigration, the laws of the Colony are to contain a racial disqualification. The local Parliament has passed two laws-one called the Asiatic Registration Act of 1907, and the other the Immigration Act of the same year-whereby a British Indian, no matter what his educational attainments may be, becomes upon entering the Colony, unless previously domiciled, a prohibited immigrant by reason of his Indiaan birth or extraction. This legislation is without parrllel in British Colonies. We have, therefore, after other efforts had become vain, publicly entered into a solemn