DEPOSITION OF THE GAEKWAR OF BARODA.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 320, 22 June 1875, Page 4

DEPOSITION OF THE GAEKWAR OF BARODA.

(Times of India, April 26.)

The Gaekwar of Baroda has been deposed, and was conveyed by special train through Bombay to Madras on Friday. He is to be allowed to select a place of residence in India, and will be granted a pension from the revenues of the Baroda State. The widow of the late Gaekwar Khunderao is to adopt some member of the Gaekwar house selected by the Government of India. The following is the text of the viceregal proclamation announcing the deposition of the Gaekwar, issued at Simla on April 23rd;— “To all whom it may concern: His Highness Mulharao Gaekwar was suspended from the exercise of power, and the administration of the Baroda State was temporarily assumed by the British Government in order that a public inquiry might be made into the truth of the imputation that his Highness had instigated an attempt to poison Colonel R. Phayre, C. 8., the late representative of the British Government at the Court of Baroda, and that every opportunity should be given to his Highness of freeing himself from the said imputation. The proceedings of the Commission having been brought to a close, her Majesty’s Government have taken into consideration the question whether His Highness Mulharao Gaekwar shall be restored to the exercise of sovereign power in the state of Baroda. The commissioners being divided in opinion, Her Majesty’s Government have not based their decision on the inquiry or report of the commission, nor have they assumed that the result of the inquiry has been to prove the truth of the imputations against His Highness. Having regard, however, to all the circumstances relating to the affairs of Baroda, from the accession of His Highness Mulharao Gaekwar to the present time, his notorious misconduct, his gross misgovernment of the state, and his evident incapacity to carry into effect the necessary reforms ; having also considered the opinion of the Government of India that it would be detrimental to the interests of the people of Baroda, and inconsistent with the maintenance of the relations which ought to subsist between the British Government and the Baroda State that His Highness should be restored to power ; her Majesty’s Government have decided that his Highness Mulharao Gaekwar shall be deposed from the sovereignty of Baroda, and that he and his issue shall be hereafter precluded from all rights, honors, and privileges thereto appertaining. Accordingly, his Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General in Council hereby declares that his Highneas Mulharao Gaekwar is deposed from the sovereignty of the Barola State, and that he and his issue are precluded from all rights, honors, and privileges thereto appertaining. Mulharao will be permitted to select some place in British India which may be approved by the Government of India, where he and his family shall reside, with a suitable establishment and allowance? to be provided from the revenues of the Baroda State. Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, in reestablishing a native administration in the Baroda State, being desirous to mark her sense of the loyal services of his Highness Khunderao Gaekwar in 1857, has been pleased to accede to the request of his widow, Her Highness Jumnabaee, that she may be allowed to adopt some member of the Gaekwar house whom the Government of India may select a» the most suitable person upon whom to confer the Sovereignty of the Baroda State. The necessary steps will accordingly be immediately taken to carry into effect her Majesty’s commands. In the meantime,

with the consent of his Highness the Maharajah of Indore, Sir T. Mahdava Rao, K. 0.8.1., he will at once proceed to Baroda and conduct the administration of the state as Prime Minister, under instructions which he will receive from the Governor-General’s agent and special commissioner at Baroda. In conferring the sovereignty of the Baroda State no alteration will be made in the treaty engagements which exist between the British Government and the Gaekwars of Baroda. And the new Gaekwar will enjoy all the privileges and advantages which were conveyed to the Gaekwar of Baroda in the Sunnud of Earl Canning, dated the 11th of March, 1862. “ By order of his Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General of India in Council. “C. U. AITCHISON, “ Secretary to Government of India.”