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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [167r] (338/502)
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.
f<r-
6 &
7
The petition was one general one from us complaining, first of our hav
ing been beaten, second of the illegal tax.
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).
Agents defer cross-examination.
15. Ujam Jivan, Mattadar,PatelofKanara,in Patanpargana, states:—The
gadi nazarana was levied in in oar village by the Mehta. Some 4 or 5
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.
were sent from the thana of Dhanu, and in consequence of our refusal,
from poverty, to pay this tax, some 20 men were placed in the open touching
their toes, and with heavy stones on their backs for a full 3 hours. In con
sequence of this treatment we agreed to pay. We sold our cattle, grain, &c.,
and paid the tax. In that year 20 families of cultivators left our village for
Viramgam in the Ahmedabad Zilla. 15 families of Kolis have also gone. No
one has yet returned or will return. All the village will run off. 1 have seen
similar oppressions practised in other villages all over the pargana. We did not
make any petition to the Maharaj about the " zulum " exercised
the gadi nazarana, though we did petition against the tax itself, and by order
of Hariba Gaekwar, the Revenue Commissioner, I was imprisoned for 13
days in Baroda, at the end of which time I was allowed, on agreeing with Baji
Patel to pay the tax in 15 days, to go home.
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).
defer cross-examination.
16. Raichand Valji, Mattadar of Kanara, in Patan Mahal, states:—In
when the gadi nazarana was levied in our village, the JVlehta brought 5
or 6 men from the Thana of Dhanu, and on our pleading inability to pay, he
caused some 25 of us to stand out in the open with stones on their backs for
a good 3 hours at a time. Being filled with alarm at this, we sold our
cattle, our grain, &c., and paid the tax. Some 20 cultivators, 15 Kolis and
5 Bharwads (shepherds), deserted the village in consequence, and have not
returned. They have gone to the Viramgam taluka of Ahmedabad district,
I have made no petition about this zulum. My brother Ujam did to the
Maharaj in Baroda (witness No. 15).
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. —The families left in j^ e this year, being
unable to pay their revenue instalments.
17. Baji Toban, Patel of Unja, in Patan Mahal, states :—
In the year some 200 Bhats were brought from different villages in
the pargana to Patan to force them to pay the Inam Commission tax. I
was myself in Patan on Government business connected with my own village,
when one night these Bhats were attacked by 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.
, and 8 men and 1
woman killed. I myself saw the bodies next day. They had various wounds
from swords, &c., upon them. I was one of the Panch who reported on them,
and our opinion was that they had died from wounds inflicted upon them. I did
not see them attacked myself. To levy the gadi nazarana in my village in the
y ear riiras some 50 men were made to stoop with wooden beams on their
backs. Others were made to rise and fall from a standing to a sitting posture
and vice versa about 100 times in rapid succession. In this way the whole of
the money demanded was realized from the village. Some 200 families have
fled from my village in consequence of this tax, and the oppressions practised
upon them. I have made no petition about the zulum practised upon us to
the Maharaj. It was practised by the Vahivatdar's men, the Thanadar and his
raen. I have made personal visits and enquiries in 50 or 60 villages in the
Patan District, and I find that some 2,000 families have fled the taluka from
the heavy taxation and zulum practised in levying it.
In answer to Durhar Agents. —The 2,000 families who have fled from
the taluka are principally Kanbis. I was not personally one of the victims
of oppression in my village. I saw what was done to the ryots. I do not
know whether or not the Bhats had done any acts of rebellion before they
^ere attacked. The Vahivatdar did not send me to reason with these Bhats.
ft
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