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HT This Day: Feb 15, 1929 -- Princes Oppose Independence
When the Chamber of Princes met to-day under the presidency of the Viceroy, the Maharaja of Patiala moved the following resolution: “While adhering to their policy of non-intervention in the affaire of British India and repeating their assurance of sympathy with its continued political progress, the Princes and Chiefs composing this Chamber, in view of the recent pronouncements of a section of British Indian politicians indicative of a drift towards complete independence, desire to place on record that in light of the mutual obligations arising from their Treaties and Engagements with the British Crown they cannot assent to any proposals having for their object the adjustment of equitable relations between the Indian States and British India less each proposals proceed upon the initial basis of the British connection
When the Chamber of Princes met to-day under the presidency of the Viceroy, the Maharaja of Patiala moved the following resolution:
“While adhering to their policy of non-intervention in the affaire of British India and repeating their assurance of sympathy with its continued political progress, the Princes and Chiefs composing this Chamber, in view of the recent pronouncements of a section of British Indian politicians indicative of a drift towards complete independence, desire to place on record that in light of the mutual obligations arising from their Treaties and Engagements with the British Crown they cannot assent to any proposals having for their object the adjustment of equitable relations between the Indian States and British India less each proposals proceed upon the initial basis of the British connection.
Link with British India
In urging to one Chamber the careful consideration of the resolution, the Maharaja of Patiala said:
“Your Excellency we have always refrained from any interference with British Indian politics, and we have not the least intention of departing from this salutary role Bur the complete severance of British connection which has been advocated by a section of British Indian political thought, is not a matter which affects British India alone. It would be a matter of indifference to us if we had no desire of ultimate federal relations with British India, with proper safeguards, or if we had no treaty obligations with British Crown to discharge. But that is not so. Our ties with British India are close. We are linked to British India politically, historically, economically. These ties will, we hope, become even more close in the future. W e, therefore, regard it as our duty, to give suitable and timely expression of our deep concern, that the developments in the Indian polities should not be such as would create an unsurmountable obstacle in the way of closer relations between British India and Indian India, or inconsistence with the due discharge of our mutual treaty obligations with the British Crown.
Place of State
The reasons why such suggestions necessarily evoke our lively concern are not far to seek In India, taken as a whole, our interests are of a magnitude only second to those of British India. Territorially, the Indian State, if Burma be excluded, constitutes nearly one half of the total peninsula, while their population numbers upwards of 76 millions. We feel we are entitled to an adequate voice in shaping the ultimate policy of the whole country.
Your Excellency, it is our profound conviction that in the best interests of India herself, the British connection should be maintained. Provision must of course be made for changing times and for progressive developments, but granted these, we believe that India will be a greater and a more prosperous land as a federation of autonomous States and provinces with the Empire, than she will be outside the Empire. This being our conviction, we can only regard any movement in British India in the direction of complete independence, as likely to injure the best interests of the country, and also to postpone the establishment of an equitable and friendly adjustment of interests between the States and British India for the good of India as a whole.
Obligation, to Crown
“So far, Your Excellency, I have been looking at the matter from the common-sense material point of view. But there are other factors to be considered. We ourselves have entered into solemn reciprocal obligations with the British Crown, which we must discharge, in the future as we have done in the past. These obligations entail the maintenance of an honourable connection, importing respect by either party for its own duties and for rights of the other between India and Britain. Without such a connection, we feel that these mutual rights and duties cannot on discharged. Hence, quite apart from our conviction that the inclusion of India within the British Commonwealth is vitally necessary to the wellbeing of the country, we feel, the suggestion of independence conveys a menace to the due discharge of these reciprocal rights and obligations.
Sympathy with Br. India
“Your Excellency, we desire to make it clear that we imply no hostility to British India. On the contrary, we have expressed our sympathy with the aspirations of British India which we regard as legitimate. We unhesitatingly reaffirm this sympathy, and not merely in a conventional sense. We have always contributed to the extent of our power, towards the educational, humanitarian, and progressive activities in British India, we have always refrained from doing anything which might thwart or retard the political progress in British India towards dominion status. We have no intention of ever doing that. We recognize that British India has as much right, within its exclusive sphere, to aspire to rise to its full stature, as the *4tates have to e joy fully the rights they are entitled to exercise. But just as we cannot, fairly take any step in matters involving the common interest of British India and Indian India, without paying due regard to the legitimate rights of the former, so we on our part o aim the same consideration from British India in matters which involve us along with them. Differences with our friends in British India will only arise, when their conceptions of their rights extend to a degree which causes them to claim an exclusive control over interests, which owing to considerations alike of history and politics, are not theirs and theirs alone. This resolution is intended, as stated above, to express, in time our apprehensions lest developments should occur in British India, which may hinder the cultivation of those closer ties designed to lead up to the equitable adjustment of the interests of British India and Indian States, on federal basis. Our one desire is to cement our relations with British India consistently with the due discharge, of our duty to our States, and our treaty obligations with Britain.
The Three Parties,
“Finally, Your Excellency, we wish to emphasize our belief that any constructive settlement of the Indies situation must take due notice. of the legitimate interest of all the three parties concerned, I mean, Great Britain, British India and the Indian States. Only by taking due account of at three, can statesmanship ultimately pres are the way for any permanent constructive work. We ourselves believe that there lies before India a great and worthy future, in keeping with the traditions of her glorious past. Let us, whether we be the representatives of the British Crown, British Indian leaders or Indian Princes, see to it that our activities and our energies move harmoniously to the task of building up an Indian federation founded upon a mutual respect for each others rights, which shall remain a constituent and autonomous part of the British Commonwealth of Nations.
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An old 1929 postcard showing the DeHavilland Hercules Biplane carrying airmail from England to India. This passenger airline was operated by Imperial Airways at the time, now known as British Airways. Another of the Imperial Airways biplane the Argosy operated the first airmail service between India to England in April 1929.
Imperial Airways also operated flying boats from England to India in the 1930s and 1940s. After the merger of Imperial Airways and British Airways Ltd forming BOAC which also operated flying boat services to India. There were scores of British airway companies operating from 1919 to 1974 until all merged into a single entity named British Airways in 1974.
To know more go to History of British Airways. The DeHavilland Hercules Biplane had limited capabilities it had a number of fatal crashes on various occasions. The Hercules in 1929 crashed in Iran carrying mail from England to India. Perhaps it is the same aircraft that is shown here.
Did you know – the first flight from England to India was on a
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