Of Indian
p. 136 · Read in the full issue
What Is Purpose
Activities In Fiji?
From Our Own Correspondent
Suva, Jan. 25.
THE new Commissioner for thr Government of India in Fiji (Dr. N. V. Rajkumar) arouseoe comment when he said to an Indianj audience at Ba: “These and similar developments in India you should try to understand and appreciated and, if possible, copy, in so far au they affect your way of life here.
I would particularly request yoiui fellow-citizens here—Fijians of inr digenous origin—to come and havo\ a look at what we are doing. They? and we have many things in com-i mon.”
People here naturally ask: Whatx is this Indian Mission here for?' Six years ago, when the first?
Indian Commissioner arrived, thei Government of Fiji—knowing there-: was European and Fijian opposi-i tion to such a post being created)! here—stated specifically and em-i phatically that the Commissionene was to concern himself solely withl Indian transients in Fiji—that isa Indians from India who might visit!
Fiji or live here temporarily.
As such transients have beera virtually non-existent since the wan it appeared that the Commissioner’s' job would be a sinecure.
BUT the Indian Commissioner’s' office at Suva now has beem built up into the Indian equiva lent of the British Council, completes; with a small library and reading room; and Dr. Rajkumar has statedb that it is intended to operate ae mobile library and cinema in thee outlying districts.
All the non-Indian that was created by the flag-flyingg and jubilation attending the observ ance of India’s Independence Dayy (it has faded out in recent years) ( has been now revived by an an nouncement that Republic of Indiae Day (January 26) is to be celebratedb with a public flag-hoisting ceremonyy at the Commissioner’s office (frees sweets for children) and a “Culturalh Show” at the Suva Town Hall.
This hardly squares with thes original stated purpose of the Com mission; nor do the Commissioner’s a' speeches, which are not addressed b to transients (if any) but to thes Fiji-born Indians.
Shortly after the Commissioner!! made his appeal to Fijians to goo and learn what India is doing, an n Indian weekly published a venom ous article, the basis of which was a that the Indians were the champions a ; of the Fijians against the Euro- -i peans—a line that has been fol—. lowed in Indian propaganda amongg the natives in East Africa.