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Centenary of Gandhian event held in S. Africa

Johannesburg: Hundreds of people, including a number of South Africans and Indian dignitaries, participated in a centenary commemoration march here of the burning of registration certificates by protesters, led by Mahatma Gandhi on August 16, 1908.

The marchers walked about three km from the city centre to the Hamidia Mosque in the suburb of Fordsburg in Johannesburg, recalling the incident 100 years ago when in 1908, Gandhi and around 2,000 agitators burnt their “passes” against the discrimination they suffered at the hands of the former colonial power.

Addressing people after the event, Indian High Commissioner to Pretoria, R. K. Bhatia, said Gandhiji’s Satyagraha movement, inspired the successful struggle against apartheid and racial discrimination in South Africa.

“We celebrate today, once again, the power and magic of an extraordinary man, his unique philosophy of fight against injustice and oppression through the weapons of truth and non-violence, and the impact it had on our two countries as well as the relations between them,” said Mr. Bhatia.

Participants joining the march included visiting Minister of Tourism and Culture Ambika Soni, South African Minister of Government Business and the Deputy President of the ruling ANC, Kgalema Motlanthe, and South African Minister of Arts and Culture Pallo Jordan.

Head Imam of the Hamidia Mosque Maulana Sahib Ibrahim Bam, Director of Arts, Culture and Heritage of the City of Johannesburg Steven Sachs, chairperson of the Gandhi Centenary Committee Kirti Menon and Indian Consul-General in Johannesburg, Navdeep Suri, were also present.

After the dignitaries’ speeches, more than 2,000 registration certificates, collected from the spectators, were thrown into a cauldron and burnt in paraffin amid shouts of joy. — PTI

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