The Indian Navy is participating in a commemorative event to mark 130 years of the start of struggle against apartheid at the Pietermaritzburg, Railway Station near Durban.
Key points
- INS Trishul, a frontline warship of the Indian Navy is visiting Durban from 06 to 09 Jun 23 to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the 7th Jun 1893 incident at Pietermaritzburg, Railway Station as also 30 years of re-establishment of diplomatic relations between India and South Africa.
- Mahatma Gandhi had arrived in Durban, South Africa, in 1893 to serve as legal counsel to the merchant Dada Abdulla.
- On 07 June 1893, during a trip to Pretoria in the Transvaal, he first arrived at Pietermaritzburg station.
- Gandhiji who was seated in the first-class compartment after having purchased a ticket, was evicted from the compartment at the behest of a European since as per him ‘coolies’ and non-whites were not permitted in first-class compartments.
- The incident is considered to be the trigger which led to Gandhiji’s fight against racial oppression and to the birth of Satyagraha.
