Fiji Claimed As Colony Of “Free India"

Interesting Development in Indian Propaganda

From Our Own Correspondent

SUVA, April 25.

ANEW development in the current Indian propaganda campaign in Fiji has appeared in the first issue of “Tara,” a quarterly publication in Hindi, edited by Gyani Das, of Nasinu, Fiji, and published by the Arjun Press, New Bazaar, Delhi, India. The title of the production is “Fiji—an Indian Colony.”

As far as is known, this production marks the first occasion in which an Indian has openly demanded the ending of British control in Fiji and the handing over of this Crown Colony as a “colony of Free India.”

The publisher’s note starts the discussion with the statement that in Fiji the Indians are subjected to “despotic rule” and alleges that in Fiji, as in South

Africa, plans are under way to deport the Indians.

T>UT, says the note, “the Indians have full rights over Fiji. It is therefore our colony, or, to put it in other words, an Indian colony. Our rights must be conceded in this colony. Will justice not prevail in this age of humanity? If not, for how long remains to be seen, “The world is changing rapidly, and it cannot be long before Fiji will have the good fortune to style itself a colony of Free India. When this hope is realised, will the British Government still treat, as at present, the subjects of Free India?

There is still time for the Fiji Govern ment to reflect.”

Mr. Gyani Das improves on this by

blandly claiming that the Fijians have no right to Fiji. The Fijians, it is sug gested, were originally blown to these islands by accident and therefore have no claim to their homeland.

“Although the Fijians are called the native population,” he says, “it is in fact not their native land. The Fijians, like the Europeans and Indians, came and settled in Fiji from outside.

“The only point of difference between the three is that the Fijians came first, drifting through storm and sea; the British established themselves through in trigue and fraud; and the Indians, as simpletons, came and settled here because of their industry. The Fijians, therefore, have no rights over Fiji on the ground that they are the native population.”

AFTER an emotional passage dealing with the indenture days—in which the writer is to an extent justified in his bitterness against some of the planters and overseers of that early period—Mr. Das moves into a full-scale assault against almost every aspect of life in Fiji as it is understood by the Indians —omitting, however, any reference to the enormous accumulation of money and property which passed into Indian hands.

He assails the “accursed residential tax” without mentioning that this is the only direct tax imposed on the non-Fijian population as a whole; and, while de nouncing it as an imposition on the In dians, ignores the fact that the Fijians pay more in direct taxes than do the Indians, although the latter have far larger monetary resources.

There is the usual complaint that In dians are still unable to swamp the two or three schools (the writer implies that there are many more than there are) which are reserved for Europeans and part-Europeans. (“How far this treat ment against the Indians in Fiji can be justified is hard to say.”) THE Fijian Second World War record, and the part taken in it by the In dians (however it mav be described) is summed up in the following contra diction; — “During the last war, Indians also started joining the forces; but, because of discrimination in pav, refused to join.

Justice appeared hollow when coloured men who offered themselves for sacrifice in order to defend British rule were not conceded even their just rights. . . . At present, from the dark races, only Fijians, whose poor living in koros can make them satisfied with bread, butter and a khaki uniform, are in the Fiji Military Forces.” (Actually only one or two Fiji-Indians joined the forces.) After a general denunciation of the Government, the English language press and the Europeans, the following sum ming-up appears: “Because India is not free, Fiji is considered to be a British colony: but when India becomes indepen dent, Fiji will also be recognised as an Indian colony. By this the writer means that Indians will then be conceded equal rights with Europeans and Fijians.”

A final statement, for which it is diffi cult to find any substantiation whatever, is* “Indians who cleared the jungle and made Fiji habitable and prosperous are asked to vacate the land which is thought suitable for Europeans.”

The review ends with a comprehensive attack on the Colonial Sugar Refining Company, on the Fijians as landlords and the Medical Department—which, despite the overwhelming number of Indians m hospitals and other institutions, is ac cused of “discrimination.” . „ It is typical Indian stuff— cockeyed, illogical and generally unsubstantiated; and it is quoted here only to show the character of the propaganda that is de veloping since India was granted inde pendence.