The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 1912. THE INDIAN UNREST.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 57, 6 March 1912, Page 4

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 1912. THE INDIAN UNREST.

y«r tk« emiM **•* Mflft sssilfn—, Aw *fc» wrtm*; (Mi Merit iWislasjus, JrVw t*« fntttre in the tUttmmo*, Amd th* good that we om 40.

I By far the most important political episode that marked the recent visit ol the King and Queen to India was tht public announcement of the reconstruction of the Bengal province, and the transfer of the seat of government from Calcutta to Delhi. Looking at these changes in a brand and comprehensive way, we may say that their chief object was to conciliate at once the two principal elements in the Indian population I —the Bengali and the Mohammedan. The Hindus, generally speaking, had op- ! posed the partition of Bengal and the erection of the eastern half into a separate province, because it had the effect of separating politically two large bodies of Hindus who had always been closely united by their faith, and ty racial tradition*. The Mohammedans, on the Other hand, Strongly favoured the new system, as it gave political predominance to their own co-religionists, and they enthusiastically supported Lord Curxon, whose policj has now been reversed by the express edict of the King Emperor. It was, ot course, expected that the transfer of the eapitil to Delhi, once the metropolis of the Moguls, would/ conciliate the Moslem section of the Indian people, and that the net effect of the change would ■be to quell disaffection, and arouse a spirit of loyalty to Britmo rule throughout the Country. But, unfortunately, these sanguine expectations have not yet been realised.

So far as the Hindus are concerned, they are certainly pleased at the reversal of Lord Curzon's measure's. The late Yrceroy was to them the embodiment of unsympathetic and unyielding despotism; and though the Hindus arc quite us*d to tyrants of their own race, foreign despots arc always abhorrent to them. Not only are the Hindus of the North-Bast province glad to be reunited with their compatriots in Bengal, but the Hindus of Behar, in the west, have expressed great satisfaction at seeing their country raised eoce more to its traditional rank as a separate political unit. But it would he a great mistake to imagina that the Hindus 'will therefore cease to agitate against British authority, or that peace and contentment now reign throughout Bengal. The sources of the Indian discontent are deeper 'than these political controversies. As to the Moslems who Were gratified by the establishment of the new eastern province, they are correspondingly disappointed si the abrogation of Lord Curron's acts, and it must be owned that they can make out a strong case for their vie v of the situation that the British Government has made undue concessions to the clamour of sedition-mongers and the sensational outcries of the naitive Press. The loyalty of the Mohammedans is undoubted; but it is certainly significant that the Aga Khan, the foremost living representative of the oM Mogul empire, has resigned hss presidency of the Moslem League because the Mohammedans as a body disapprove oi the political changes which were inaugurated with such pomp and cercnvonv at the Delhi Durbar.

It is interesting at this Juncture to observe the line of conduct, which is being tailored by the Oaekwar of Baroda, the potentate who made himself so unfortunately conspicuous at the Durbar try hj» apparent lack of courtesy to the King and Queen. The Gaelcwar is, after the Nizam of Haida.ra.bad, the most exalted and the mort influential Of all the native princes of India; and he has long enjoyed a reputation for liberal and progressive opinions which bawe occasionally brought aim under the suspicion of the Imperial authorities. After his "faux pas" at tie Durbar, he was so roughly handled by the British Press that he made * public and explicit apology for his conduct, and pledged himself to give proof of his loyalty in the future. The efforts that he is bow making to suppress sedition, and to extirpate the disaffection which is widespread in hia part of India, show that hi* protestations may be taken seriously. And it is worth noting that whatever may 4» thought of his recent conduct the Gaekwar of Baroda has alweye taken a broad and far-reaching view of the problems that England has to face in India. Me is credited with having urged upon the Council the advisability of abolishing the Viceroy and his office, and suhetitu&ing a Prince Regent of the blood Royal, who would rule India praot.rcally as an independent King. The Gaekwar holds that what is necessary to secure and maintain the loyalty of the Indian peoples to the British Raj is some such direct and personal connection wfth the Throne. And it is more than a coincidence that the Aga Khan, to whom we have already referred, has endorsed 'the Gaekwar's scheme, and ha* described it as the only measure yet suggested that would effectually combat the tendencies toward disaffectioti which are now working upon the. people of India, irrespective of ra-ee and | creed. Ko doubt the Moslem element in India is a strong bulwark of British j rule; but not even the restoration of Delhi to the Matuft wfeieh it held as capital of <the~-liogul empire will be

enough to «oattet ■—iMfrr «a the tnatmw and JiuftaMf *fMßh ttay ftt *ny tine carry e«eft the Mohammedans of India beyond control and precipitate ft rerolt against the British Raj.