Natal Indian Congress

The Natal Indian Congress (NIC) was an organisation that aimed to fight discrimination against Indians in South Africa.

Founders of the Natal Indian Congress; Gandhi is on the top row, fourth from left.

The Natal Indian Congress was founded by Mahatma Gandhi in 1894.[1] A constitution was put in place on 22 August 1894.

Gandhi was the Honorary Secretary[2] and Abdoola Hajee Adam Jhaveri (Dada Abdulla) was elected president.

The Vice-Presidents were: Hajee Mahomed Hajee Dada, Abdool Kadir, Hajee Dada Hajee Habib, Moosa Hajee Adam, P. Dawjee Mahomed, Peeran Mahomed, Murugesa Pillay, Ramaswami Naidoo, Hoosen Miran, Adamjee Miankhan, K. R. Nayanah, Amod Bayat (P. M. Burg), Moosa Hajee Cassim, Mahomed Cassim Jeeva, Parsee Rustomjee, Dawad Mahomed, Hoosen Cassim Amod Tili, Doraiswamy Pillay, Omar Hajee Aba, Osmankhan Rahamatkhan, Rangaswami Padayachi, Hajee Mahomed (P. M. Burg), Camroodeen (P. M. Burg).

The Natal Congress in its early stages focused on providing equality to all races and people of all castes, genders and Creeds. To help them in this purpose, the Natal Congress hired Dr. BR Ambedkar, who drafted the constitution. It focused on providing equal rights to all, no matter their caste, creed or gender. This was prevalent as he himself was a Dalit (Lower caste).

The Members of the Committee included: The Vice-Presidents and Messrs M. D. Joshi, Narsiram, Manekji, Dowjee Mammuji Mutalah, Muthu Krishna, Bissessar, Goolam Hoosen Randeri, Shamshoodeen, G. A. Bassa, Sarabjit, L. Gabriel, James Christopher, Sooboo Naidu, John Gabriel, Suleiman Voraji, Cassimjee Amoojee, R. Kundaswamy Naidu, M. E. Kathrada, Ibrahim M. Khatri, Shaik Farid, Varind Ismail, Ranjit, Perumal Naidoo, Parsee Dhanjisha, Royappan, Joosub Abdool Carim, Arjun Singh, Ismail Kadir, Easop Kadua, Mahomed Esak, Mahomed Hafejee, A. M. Paruck, Suleiman Dawjee, V. Narayana Pather, Lutchman Panday, Osman Ahmed & Mahomed Tayub.[3]

During its formative years, the NIC introduced many early petitions for changes to proposed discriminatory legislations.

In the 1960s, the organisation become inactive due to the growing state repression and the ban of its leaders.[4]

It later allied itself with the African National Congress.

See also

References
  • Constitution of the Natal Indian Congress-1894
  • The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi
  • Kuper, Hilda (1960). Indian People in Natal. Natal: University Press. Archived from the original on 22 October 2016.

Notes and references
  1. Singh, Anand (2005). Indians in Post-apartheid South Africa. Concept Publishing Company. ISBN 9788180692260.
  2. "Mahatma Gandhi | Biography, Accomplishments, & Facts - Sojourn in England and return to India". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  3. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Collected_Works_of_Mahatma_Gandhi/Volume_I/Constitution_of_the_Natal_Indian_Congress-1894. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. Trust, South African Democracy Education (2004). The Road to Democracy in South Africa: 1970-1980. Unisa Press. ISBN 9781868884063.
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