HC Deb 09 July 1883 vol 281 cc787-8
MR. O'DONNELL

asked the Under Secretary of State for India, If it is the fact that a London Company were in treaty with the Nizam's Government to extend the Railway from Hyderabad to Chanda, on condition of a guarantee by the Nizam of six per cent. on the paid up capital; whether it is true that the existing Railway to 'Hyderabad, built on a similar guarantee of six per cent., does not pay more than two per cent., the rest having to be made up by the taxpayers of Hyderabad; whether the existing Railway was built for strategic objects, and not for the commercial development of the country; whether objection was raised by a section of the Native population against the proposed extension, on the ground that another guarantee of six per cent. to be paid in interest to London promoters and shareholders would unduly tax the resources of Hyderabad; whether persons interested in the success of the London Company applied for the authorisation of the British Resident at Hyderabad to forcibly remove into British territory the leaders of the agitation against the proposed guarantee scheme; whether the attention of Government has been directed to the following telegram in the "Times' of India," dated the 23rd May:— The deportation of obstructionists to the Chanda Railway scheme continues. Last night Mr. Aysagi Hoshang, a Parsi and a third class Talukdar, was deported from Secunderabad, with the aid of the cantonment magistrate, Major Ludlow, and his police. Several other residents of Chudderghaut are likely to be deported; whether Dr. Agornath, Principal of the Hyderabad College, was arrested in the night time, with the sanction of the British Resident, and carried by force into British territory, and is now said to be imprisoned at Sholapore; whether it is true that the offence of Dr. Agornath consisted in calling a public meeting for the purpose of discussing the terms of the Chanda Railway Concession, and to protest against its acceptance; and, if inquiry will be made into the reasons for the intervention of British officials at Hyderabad on behalf of a Company of English Railway promoters?

MR. J. K. CROSS

Sir, in answer to a Question on the 11th of June, I informed the hon. Member for Mid Lincolnshire (Mr. E. Stanhope) that for some time past the Nizam's Government has been in negotiation with capitalists in this country for the extension of the present State Railway to Chanda. The negotiations are still pending, and I can, therefore, only say that the guarantee proposed is a terminable one, and is less than 6 per cent. The proposals now under discussion were sanctioned by Sir Salar Jung before his death. The existing railway was not constructed for strategic purposes only, but for the commercial development of the country. At present it pays between 2 and 3 per cent; but the traffic is expected to be largely increased, if the proposed extension to the mineral districts of the State be made. The individuals referred to in the last part of the hon. Member's Question, who are not Natives of Hyderabad, but foreigners residing there, were deported by the Nizam's Government, with the concurrence of the Resident, for their part in a seditious agitation, dangerous to the public peace, and based on wilful misrepresentations of facts. These two foreigners are the only persons who have been deported. On their departure the agitation subsided. Dr. Agornath is not imprisoned at Sholapore. Neither the Government of India nor the Secretary of State have seen reason to interfere with the action of the Nizam's Government.

MR. O'DONNELL

Was not this Dr. Agornath appointed Principal of the Hyderabad College by the late Sir Salar Jung?

MR. J. K. CROSS

I could not answer that without Notice; but it would not affect the answer I have just given if it were so.