95 years ago and somewhat 15000 km away from the bloody incident which we call today as 9/11 another incident took place on the same date which challenges the character of this date as perceived by the world.
Although the incident is reasonable only in the context of India specially the idea of India which was laid by great Mahatma Gandhi.
While he was practising law in South Africa, he faced a lot of racial discrimination along with his fellow Asian colleagues. One example of such incident is the Asiatic Registration Act of 1906 which stated mandatory registration for every Asian residing in Transvaal and to produce on-demand a thumb-printed certificate of identity. Failing to adhere to this act could result in deportation without a right to appeal. Mohandas Gandhi resisted against the act which he believed could result in humiliation for the Asian community.
On 9th September 1906, he along with colleagues decided to oppose the act in a non-violent manner. This non-violent protest is also considered as the inception of satyagraha in Mohandas life which in future turned out to be a major driving force for Indian Independence.
On the same date, 95 years later one of the most violent acts on the surface of the earth and timeline of the human race took place.
The question is for us all, how do we want to remember this date going forward?
A date dedicated to the violent act of few week humans who bring shame to their ideologies or a date dedicated to the act of resistance with the power of non-violence.