Sir,

You should be aware of that these days many Hindu groups in North America are channeling their energies to get one of their main local streets renamed in honor of M.K.Gandhi. This kind of lobbying is more evident in large cities such as Atlanta Chicago and Toronto. I highly commend those few gallant souls who are doing their best in trying to put a stop to this insult.

I provide you perhaps the best evidence you can use against the drive to rename a street after Gandhi. I reproduce the evidence which is really a sworn statement by the victim’s wife-in its entirety as recorded in the book: After Mother India by Harry H.Field London: Jonathon Cape and Company 1929 page 42-45 Please read it carefully.

“State of California County of Los Angeles.

Annette H.Doherty being first duly sworn on oath deposes and says:

My deceased husband William Francis Doherty an American citizen was a mechanical and electrical engineer and at the time of his death was managing engineer and business associate of Richard J.Brenchley engaged in sand extraction at Mumbra adjacent to Bombay India.

On November 19, 1921 as he was quietly proceeding to the Bombay improvement Trust work-shops he was set upon his eyes were gouged out and eventually he was beaten to death by a group of rioters in a public street of Byculla a suburb of Bombay.

This was during the visit of the Prince of Wales to India when Gandhi was at the height of his popularity as saint and political leader and had through his violent speeches against the British worked his followers into a frenzy of race hatred. My husband was probably mistaken for a Britisher when he was murdered by Gandhi’s followers.

Within three days following this killing of my husband word was brought tome from Gandhi that he greatly desired an interview with me begging me to set a time when I would receive him. I was then stopping with an American family in Bombay. Gandhi’s emissary was Mrs. Sarojini Naidu the Indian poetess and politician.

Mrs.Naidu was greatly agitated and made many statements to me that I feel she would now like to unsay. Her chief concern however was that the American public never be allowed to hear of this outrage committed upon my husband; and she very frankly asked me my price for refraining from ever discussing or advertising the affair in America and from myself returning to America Under no condition said Mrs.Naidu would they be willing that the American public should learn that they were killing people so promiscuously that even a white face cost a man’s life.

As to Gandhi’s request for an interview with me:

As that time he was going about so unclothed that Naidu suggested I call upon him rather than that he come to the American home where I was stopping-in as much as this latter might prove embarrassing. I was therefore determined that I should see him at his own headquarters in Bombay which did a motorcar having been sent by him to fetch me.

Upon this occasion of my visit with Gandhi he repeated to me in substance what Naidu had said but even more emphatically stressed the point that Americans because they were so much in sympathy with him in his political views must on no account learn the details of the murder of my husband lest it hurt the success of his movement in America and prejudice our people against him. Annette Helen Doherty.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 4th day of January1929_ W.J.Schisel Notary Public in and for the County of Los Angeles State of California. My commission expires Jan.18, 1931 G.B.Singh

Augusta GA

Article extracted from this publication >> December 4, 1992