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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [165v] (335/502)
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.
4
The Maharaj Malharrao has imposed new taxes, but he has not exercised
zulum in levying them from me.
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 —I do not know whether the Rs. 50,000 was
taken by Bhao Sindia himself or paid into the Government treasury.
9. Mathurbhai Dajibhai, Mattadar of Ganda, in Petlad pargana, states:
In 1834 the people of the Petlad pargana were summoned to agree to a 10
years' settlement of the land revenue. The rates were excessive, and we re
fused to pay them ; whereupon one of the chief men of Brahmangam was
ill-treated and ordered to sweep the public roads. Being terrified at this, we
agreed to the increased assessment.
In ^ I was in Sojitra when the force of Artillery, Cavalry, &c., came
there to levy the Inam Committee tax. The Bhats and Brahmans were
attacked and captured, and some 150 of them taken to Petlad. There were
15 or 20 wounded amongst them. The reason of my being in Sojitra was that
the Sarkar had called me thither. Five sowars and 5 peons came to my
village to levy the tax from the Kolis on account of their Salami. They beat
some, tied some up to trees, and in other ways so ill-treated them, that on
that very night some 200 Kolis fled into the Kaira district, where they have
remained ever since.
on Bhao Sindia being made Dewan, the Vahivatdar informed us
that our share of the nazarana of Rs. 50,000 to be levied was Rs. 400, and on
our refusing to pay it as being contrary to our 10 years' settlement, the
Vahivatdar imprisoned me and 7 other Mattadars for 15 days at Petlad, and com
pelled one of us, Jethabhai by name, to do hard labour. 'We paid him Rs. 400
for the nazarana and Rs. 800 for himself before we were released.
1U 2868-9 ' I
was present when Chagabhai of Changa was placed in the
wooden-frame at Baroda and beaten, and from fear of a similar process as
regarded ourselves, we agreed to pay the 2 annas increased assessment which
was demanded from us.
^ sowars and 5 peons came to realize the gadi nazarana from our
village and took 50 men thence to Bhagol, where they made them stand in the
sun touching their toes, and placed pieces of wood on their backs. In conse
quence of this treatment the people paid the tax, and some 15 cultivators
deserted the village.
S4 Cross-examined hyDurbar Agents. —Complaints were not made in ||>
gy, and gj to the Resident about the matters set forth in those years. We
petitioned the Maharaj 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).
at Baroda about the gadi nazarana
oppiession, but we were simply told to pay and be off. Our petition was taken
and read, and the answer given above recorded on it. It was the Gaekwar
Malhanao IMahaiaj himself who told us to pay and go away. The petition
was handed over to a
sepoy
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.
, who was told to take it to the Mahal. There
weie some 25 other petitioners at the time with me, and we all gave in this
one geneial petition, which was disposed of as above related. The petition
detailed our inability to pay, and the zulum practised upon us.
10. Trikam Jesingh, 40 years, Mattadar of Jalsan, in Petlad, states In
1873 Apru lur^ one Trimbak Hari, a Karkun of the Petlad Mahal, came to
our village to levy the arrears of gadi nazarana. Finding that we could not
pay, he had the villagers assembled, and choosing 5 persons, he made them
touch their toes, and keeping them in this posture, he placed prickly-pear on
theii backs and stones on the top of that; he kept them thus for a short time.
The people weie so terrified at this, that they collected the money from
wherever they could, and paid the arrears in 2 or 3 days. Four families have
since run away from the village. I saw this torture practised. We reported
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.
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- 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