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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [165r] (334/502)
The record is made up of 1 volume (249 folios). It was created in 1 Nov 1873-14 Feb 1874. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
*9
4(
backs for 20 minutes at a time. Before making his demand he had us all as
sembled in the chouri, and told us what he had come for. The
sepoys
Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank.
fur
ther went to our houses, turned the women and children out, and attached the
buildings. From fear of what they were doing to us, we agreed to pay the
nazarana, and gave the Karkun Rs. 7 for himself as an inducement for him
to go on to the next village, and to remove the attachment. Owing to this
treatment of us, Patidars, some 20 Paggis left the village for Viral in the Bor-
sad taluka of Kaira. They have since returned. We have paid the gadi
nazarana. We did make a petition to the Maharaj about this oppression, bat
we were simply told to pay the tax and go home. The Karkun to whom we
wanted to give the petition refused to take it, and told us to be olf. I do not
know the Karkun's name.
In answer to
Durbar
A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family).
Agents, — How could I petition the Maharaj himself?
Who would let a poor man like me into the
Durbar
A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family).
? I do not know that
there is a proclamation from the Gaekwar enjoining ryots to make complaints
against any oppression exercised upon them by the Vahivatdars.
6. Desaibhai Becharbhi, Mattadar of Pallana, in Petlad, states:—I was
imprisoned and fettered in Petlad for 6 days in the year because I
refused to pay the gadi nazarana. My cousin Babaji was imprisoned for 14 days
on the same account. On payment of 12 per cent, of the tax, my fetters were
removed, and I was released. I came to Baroda, and complained in Baroda to
the Fouidari Karkun Harilal, who told me the tax would be levied by instal
ments I have not as yet paid the 40 per cent, demanded from holders of
barkhali land. Last June, on account of the levy of this tax, some 40 people
left the village. I have induced, with difficulty, about half of them to xeturn.
I have made no petition to the Maharaj on this subject. Who would listen
to me in the
Durbar
A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family).
?
cross-examined hy
Durbar
A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family).
Agents.-l have no copy of my petition to
Harilal. The contents of it were that I had been oppressed and ill-treated,
and was unable to pay the tax. I made no petition to the Sirsuhlia.
7. Dhari Govindji, Mattadar, 70 years, of Ardhi, in Petlad pargana,
states:—In the month of Jeth (June) last one Natha Bhagwandas came from
Petlad to levy the gadi nazarana. I said I could not pay, and in company w th
3 other Mattadars, 1 went to Petlad to remonstrate against the to By order
of the Vahivatdar, Mathurbhai, we were placed in » ^
next dav when on giving a written promise to pay Rs. 300, leleased.
next day, wnen ' 0 J= wen t to the
Durbar
A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family).
at Baroda to complain of
I m company with otnei vinageib went t i
the ill-treatment and oppression, but we were not listened to. made no
separate petition about my own wrongs.
r« answer to
Durbar
A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family).
Agents-Oar joint petition was presented at the
J ,i answer o uu -, g released, and was a protest against
Palace some 15 or JU aa^s culci wc
the increase of taxation, not about my personal sufferings.
O nu 1 w TTinhnrdas Patel ofChanga, in Petlad pargana, states In
- onthe Gadi as P™ Minister a —a
of Rs. 50,000 was levied from 'Jj® On this occasion I came
assessment was increased by - ani I petition to the Maharaj
with some 500 others to Baroda made^ a jie ^ ^ ^
Khanderao at Makai-pura, whei p ^ ^ next da ^ 0n this
pargana and was told to "T® ^ unable t0 ay th e extra 2 annas,
occasion, when I represented that ^ Th ey took me to the
Bhao Sindia ordered the police , f ith my head fastened down,
Foujdari, where I wasplaced in a wtKK^en ti^ame ^
and legs and arms tied as I lay J gd to pay, and to make others pay.
the breech, and from fear and pain 1 agieea LU r
About this item
- Content
Report of the Baroda Enquiry Commission on the administration of the government of Malharrao, Gaekwar of Baroda. The Commission comprised Richard John Meade (President), Edward William Ravenscroft, Mumtazul Dowlah Nawab An honorific title; an official acting as a provincial deputy ruler in South Asia; or a significant Muslim landowner in nineteenth century India. Faiz Ali Khan, Colonel Alfred Thomas Etheridge and Thomas Duncan Mackenzie (Secretary).
The report comprises a letter from the members of the Baroda Enquiry Commission to the Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department presenting their report on the results of the proceedings and submitting copies of correspondence, reports and statements relative to the enquiry (ff 5-19):
Appendix A, Part I
- Schedules I-III: Complaints and grievances against the Gaekwar's Government from individuals and groups (ff 21-78).
- Appendix B, Schedules I-III: Cases of complaint and grievance which the commission did not look into during the enquiry (ff 79-81).
- Appendix C: Letter from Colonel Richard John Meade, President, Special Commission of Enquiry on Baroda Affairs, to Colonel Robert Phayre, Resident at Baroda, 1 November 1873 (ff 82-83).
- Appendix D: Translation of an amended notice issued by the Resident to complainants desirous of appearing before the Baroda Enquiry Commission (ff 84-85).
- Appendix E: Schedules presented to the Commission along with Colonel Phayre's introductory statement regarding them. (ff 86-131).
- Appendix F: Letter No. 1128 of 1873 from Colonel Phayre to the President, Baroda Commission regarding the cases already submitted to the Commission, the List of undisposed petitions to be attended to by the Resident which could be used as additional cases if required and the statements that he had yet to make on cases under enquiry by the Commission (ff 132-133).
- Appendix G, Schedule I: Statements from witnesses with cross examination statements from the Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). on behalf of the Gaekwar and statements from the Resident as to the accuracy of the information provided (ff 134-229).
Appendix Part II (ff 231-245)
- Letter from James Braithwaite Peile, Acting Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Kattywar [Kathiawar] to T D Mackenzie, Secretary, Baroda Commission, 13 December 1873 regarding papers requested by the Commission and informing them that the outstanding paper will be forwarded as soon as they are received. Enclosed with the letter are a memorandum from Peile for reconstitution of His Highness the Gaekwar's Contingent in Kattywar, 13 December 1873 and Rule for the guidance of the Officers and Kamdars appointed to the Contingent of Horse of His Highness the Gaekwar, serving in the various Tributary Mahals according to treaty.
- Letter from Peile to Mackenzie, 6 January 1874, forwarding a report and returns received from Colonel Walker, Superintendent to the Gaekwar's Contingent in Kattywar and stating that he does not concur with the Colonel's opinion. Enclosed with this letter is a letter from Colonel Chamberlen William Walker, 30 December 1873, providing the information on the Contingent requested by the Commission and enclosing an extract of the Contingents annual report for 1871 and a statement of the men within the Contingent on duty under officials paid by Talukdars etc, 06 March 1872.
- Letters from John Whaley Watson, Acting Political Superintendent Pahlanpur [Palanpur], Captain Henry Nicholas Reeves, Acting Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. Rewa Kanta [Rewa Kantha] and Major Philip Harrison Le Geyt, Acting Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Mahi Kanta [Mahi Kantha] to the secretary of the Baroda Commission 19 December 1873 to 9 January 1874 reporting on the Gaekwar's contingents serving within their districts and commenting on numbers of men, pay and conditions. The letters all refer to enclosed returns, but only the return for Mahi Kanta is included in the report.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (249 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main sequence of foliation consists of a small pencil number in the top front right hand corner of each folio enclosed in a circle.
There is also an original sequence of foliation which consists of larger pencil numbers also in the top front right hand corner of folios, however the sequence is not consistent and some of the numbers may be filing references rather than foliation numbers.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- Mss Eur F126/78
- Title
- 'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:248v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence