In the early 1890s, Mahatma Gandhi worked as a lawyer in South Africa. One day, while travelling in a first-class train compartment on business, he was ordered to move to third class, which was designated for non-whites. Gandhi refused, producing his valid first-class ticket as evidence of his right to stay. At the next stop, he was thrown off the train. This experience transformed the shy, apolitical young lawyer into the bold, fearless activist whose campaign for equality and human rights was brought to an end by an assassin’s bullet 60 years ago.
Gandhi was undoubtedly one of the great political and spiritual figures of the 20th century. But who thinks much about him today? To many, he seems like a quaint figure from the bad old days when colonialism, racism and discrimination ruled. Hasn’t Gandhi’s message of justice, tolerance and non-violent change gone mainstream? And haven’t all those battles from last century been fought and won? Think again.
