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Interview to "The Natal Advertiser" (13-1-1897)
[s.s. Courland],: January [13,][1] 1897
[REPORTER:] How do you view the proceedings of the demonstration committee[2]?
- [GANDHIJI:] I certainly think the demonstration is most illadvised, especially proceeding from a number of Colonists who say they are loyal to the British Crown, and I should never have expected that the thing would go so far. They are showing a most decided spirit of disloyalty by their demonstration, and the effects of it will be felt not only throughout the Colony, but throughout the British Empire, more especially the Indian Empire.
In what way?
- Whatever affects the body of Indians who come over here will most decidedly affect the Indians in India.
You mean to say that it will prejudice the Indians against this country?
- Yes, and it will give the Indians a sort of feeling that will not be got rid of easily, besides creating a mutual feeling between sister Colonies against India. I don’t say that there is a great ill-feeling between Indians and the Colonists generally at the present moment. I certainly think that, from what the Colonists are doing here, people in India would infer that that would be the attitude of every other British Colony also and, so far as things have gone in that direction, they confirm that impression. So we find in South Africa, so far as we can read from the telegrams and the reports in the newspapers.
