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Satyagraha in South Africa

from Calcutta, I missed my train on the way and had to stop in Allahabad for a day. My work commenced there. I saw Mr Chesney of the Pioneer. He talked with me courteously, but told me frankly that his sympathies were with the Colonials. He, however, promised that if I wrote anything, he would read it and notice it in his paper. This was good enough for me.

While in India, I wrote a pamphlet on the condition of Indians in South Africa. It was noticed by almost all newspapers and it passed through two editions. Five thousand copies were distributed in various places in India. It was during this visit that I had the privilege of seeing Indian leaders, Sir Pherozeshah Mehta, Justices Badruddin Tyebji and Mahadev Govind Ranade and others in Bombay, and Lokamanya Tilak and his circle, Prof. Bhandarkar and Gopal Krishna Gokhale and his circle in Poona. I delivered speeches in Bombay, Poona and Madras. I do not propose to deal with these events in detail.

I cannot, however, resist the temptation of describing here a sacred reminiscence of Poona, although it is not strictly relevant to our subject. The Sarvajanik Sabha was controlled by the Lokamanya, while Shri Gokhale was connected with the Deccan Sabha. I first saw Tilak Maharaj. When I spoke to him about my intention to hold a meeting in Poona, he asked me if I had seen Gopalrao. I did not understand whom he meant. He therefore asked me again if I had seen Shri Gokhale and if I knew him.

“I have not yet seen him. I know him by name and mean to see him,” I replied.

“You do not seem to be familiar with Indian politics,” said the Lokamanya.

“I stayed in India only for a short time after my return from England, and had not then applied myself to political questions, as I thought it beyond my capacity," I said.

Lokamanya then said; “In that case I must give you some information. There are two parties in Poona, one