The Passive Resistance Association was first formed by Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa in 1906 to organize a campaign against the introduction of

In 1906, the Transvaal government introduced the Asiatic Law Amendment Ordinance, commonly known as the 'Black Act'. This legislation required all Indians to register with the authorities, provide fingerprints, and carry a Certificate of Registration at all times [t3, t4]. In response, Mahatma Gandhi organized a mass meeting at the Empire Theatre in Johannesburg on September 11, 1906, where the Passive Resistance Association was formed to oppose this humiliating law [t1, t3]. This marked the birth of Satyagraha, as participants pledged to face imprisonment rather than submit to the registration requirements [t3, t5]. While Gandhi later campaigned against the poll tax and disenfranchisement, the specific formation of the Passive Resistance Association in 1906 was a direct reaction to the compulsory registration certificates [c2, t3]. The movement eventually led to the public burning of these certificates in 1908 [t5].

Sources

1. [1] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 15: Emergence of Gandhi > Congress View > p. 327