Badri Maharaj: ke revisions ke biich ke antar

[[1918|1918]] me Badri Maharaj prastao rakhis ki Fiji me Hindustani loagan khatir panchayat system suruu karaa jae. Uu Agent-General of Immigration ke lage ek chitthi me likis ki panchayat se Hindustani logan khatir justice easy hoe jai aur dispute jalsi se settle hoae jai. Agar jo koi side panchayat nai mangis tab case ke court ke lage lae jawa jae. panchayat me me dunoo Hindu aur Muslim ke hoe ke chaahi jisse ke dunoo group me problem nai hoe. Badri Maharaj panchayat ke child marriage ke band kare ek upae sochis. Uu sarkar ke batais ki uu panchayat choose kare ke taeyar hai aur bolis ki isse Hindustani custom preserve hoi aur Hindustani loagn khus rahi. Agent-General of Immigration jawab dis ki ii achchhaa idea hai aur India aur duusra colony se pataa lagae ke batais ki aur koi jagah ii sysytem nai hai aur iske Fiji me suruu karna abhut risky hai aur uu timr uske introduction khatis thik nai rahaa.

 

1919 me Legislative Council Marriage law ke badle ke bahas suruu karis jisse ki Hindustani logan me dharmic shaadi recognise kar lewa jaae. Badri Maharaj ek amendment introduce karis jisme uu legal marriage age ke uupar kare ke support karis lekin

In 1919 the Legislative Council debated amendments to the Marriage Law to recognise religious marriage amongst the Fiji Indians. Badri Maharaj introduced an amendment to raise the legal age for marriage but retain lower age limits of thirteen for girls and sixteen for boys for legal betrothal ceremonies. He explained the Hindu culture regarding marriage at that time but the Legislative Council ignored him and never considered the possibility of granting the Fiji Indians authority to define their law.

 

 

Madri Maharaj was seen as a “man of character” by the Government but had little following amongst the Fiji Indian community. When Vashist Muni arrived in Fiji, in 1920, and conducted meetings in different parts of the Western Division, Badri Maharaj provided confidential reports on his activities to the Government. In one report he noted that the Sadhu’s followers were “businessmen, planters and civil servants” referring to the people who joined Vashist Muni at Penang as “renegades”.

Badri Maharaj opposed the 1920 strike by workers in the Central Division. He called for workers to return to work and was strongly opposed to the views of Manilal Doctor, who was regarded as the leader of the strikers. Badri Maharaj warned a meeting at Nausori of the danger into which they were being led by agitators. On the following day Fiji Indians were reported to be returning to work.

 

 

In July 1923 the Fiji Government introduced legislation to provide for an ungraduated poll tax, called the residential tax, 0f 1 pound to be paid by all non-Fijian adult males between 18 and 60. Badri Maharaj, the nominated Indian member of the Legislative Council, resigned his seat in protest. He did not oppose the tax in principle but argued that it should apply to voters only, not to labourers, who could not afford it. In 1926 the Young Men’s Indian Association asked for an Indian member to be nominated again to the Legislative Council and Badri Maharaj was re-nominated.

 

 

[[Category: Fiji ke Hindustani leader|Maharaj, Badri]]