'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎39v] (83/502)

4
for 7 days and then agreed to its payment. The villagers, however, refused, on
which ten of them were seized, and two flogged.. They then agreed to pay.
The payment of the "Accession Nazarana" was also refused, when the Vahivatdar
made some fifty men stand in the sun touching their toes, till they agreed to
make up the amount. The Vahivatdar's tax had never been levied before.
Deponent addressed a petition to the Maharaja on the above, but it was
not received.
No. 14, a Vatandar of Sinor pargana, makes the same statement as the
preceding deponent, regarding the Vahivatdar's proceedings in the levy of his tax
from his village, to which No. 13 also belongs. Deponent and another villager
were seized and flogged with horse-whips, receiving ten cuts on the back, when
they agreed to pay. The Vahivatdar reduced his demand to Es. 1,600, of which
Ks. 1,500 were paid down. The balance of Es. 100 has to be made up by
deponent, and "Mohsals" are now imposed on him to compel payment. Deponent
petitioned the Maharaja, and gave his petition to the Dewan in open 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). , but
could get no redress.
No. 15, a Patel in the Patan pargana, states, that in 1871, on the refusal,
from poverty, of his village to pay the "Accession Nazarana" some 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. sent
to collect it, took 20 of the villagers, and placed them in the open with their
hands touching their toes, and with heavy stones on their backs, and kept them
so for fully three hours. They then agreed to pay the tax, and sold their cattle
and grain to enable them to do so. Twenty families of cultivators and fifteen of
Kolis then left the village, and none of them have returned. Similar oppressions
have been practised in other villages. Deponent petitioned against the tax, and
was in consequence imprisoned for 13 days at Baroda, by order of Hariba
Gaekwar.
No. 16, a Vatandar in the Patan pargana, of the same village as the preced
ing deponent, makes a similar statement to his. He adds that besides the 35
cultivators and Kolis, 5 shepherds also have deserted the village.
No. 17, a Patel in the Patan pargana, states, that in 1862, some 200 Bhats
were collected from different villages, and brought to Patan to be compelled to
pay the Inam Committee tax. They were there attacked by 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. , and 8 men
and 1 woman were killed. Deponent saw the bodies next day being one of the
Panch that was held on them and was of opinion that they died from sword
cuts and other wounds. In 1871-72, to compel payment of the " Accession
Nazarana, some fifty men of his village were made to stoop with wooden beams
on their backs, and other ill-treatment was practised on others. The money was
then paid. Some 200 families left the village in consequence. From personal
enquiries in 50 or 60 villages of the Patan pargana, deponent states that some
200 families, chiefly Kanbis, have quitted it, owing to the high taxation, and the
oppression practised in its realization. Deponent was not personally ill-treated.
f^ 0 ; a cultivator of Naosari pargana, states, that the "Accession Nazarana
was levied from his village in 1871-72 by force. The Brahmins were kept in
custody for one or two days, and their cattle tied up. The Kanbis were made
to touch their toes, carry stones on their backs/and so the money was realised.
No. 19, a cultivator of Naosari pargana, states, that payment of the Govern
ment dues is enforced in his village by making defaulters hold their toes, burying
themm hot sand up to the knees, putting weights on their backs, forbidding them
access to wells or tanks, and so on.
•Accession Nazarana " was paid in deponent's village two years ago
> borr 7 lng mOIle ? 1 the P Ur P ose - Peponent has himself
been U-treated to compel payment of his land assessment. Some ten families
nave leto his village consequent on the oppression practised.

'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎39v] (83/502)

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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎39v] (83/502)

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