MINUTES OF CHAMPARAN COMMITTEE MEETING

[Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav]

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Gandhian Scholar

Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Contact No. – 09415777229, 094055338

E-mail- [e-mail];[e-mail]

 

 

MINUTES OF CHAMPARAN COMMITTEE MEETING

 

 

 Messrs Irwin, Hill and Norman to be summoned to Ranchi to consider three alternatives: A. Each should state the percentage by which he is prepared to reduce the sharahbeshi, on conditions:

(1) That it should be a substantial advance on their previous offer; any advance made by the planters will be accepted as being substantial, in the hope of mutual goodwill in the future.

(2) that this will be fully accepted by Mr. Gandhi as a satisfactory settlement and that he will use his influence fully with the rayats to make them loyally accept it and to bring about future peace in the relations of planters and their tenants.

 (3) That fully binding effect will be given to the settlement by legislation. B. Failing the above, the question of sharahbeshi should be submitted to arbitration. Such arbitration to be conducted on one or other of the following alternatives:

 (1) The appointment of a single arbitrator, who shall have the power to arbitrate between the limits of reduction of 20 and 40 per cent for Turkaulia and 25 and 40 per cent for Motihari and Peeprah. Such arbitrator to be selected with mutual agreement of planters and of Mr. Gandhi.

 (2) The appointment of three arbitrators, one to be appointed by the planters, one by Mr. Gandhi and the umpire to be appointed by these two, and failing agreement between these two, the umpire to be appointed Sir Edward Gait. The arbitration court so appointed shall have power to arbitrate between the limits of no reduction at all and a full reduction of 100 per cent. The arbitrators to be informed that for a settlement by consent the planters have offered a reduction of 20 per cent in Turkaulia and 25 per cent in Motihari and Peeprah, and that Mr. Gandhi on behalf of the rayats has offered to accept reduction of 40 per cent, but that those offers are now withdrawn and the arbitrators have full power to make any award they may settle. Under both alternatives, conditions (2) and (3) of A will apply. In addition under all the proposals, it shall be a condition that the existing obligation recorded in the settlement records shall be abolished and that in lieu thereof sharahbeshi shall be fixed at the rate at which it would have stood had commutation in their case taken place together with the others, less reduction that may be agreed upon or awarded by the arbitration. Under proposals for arbitration, both the planters and Mr. Gandhi would submit written statements of their case, and both would have the option of submitting a written reply to such statements. The parties will not be permitted to be represented by counselor to be heard personally as of right. The arbitrator or arbitrators to have the power to call for any papers they may desire to question the planters or any other person, and to give their award within one week of the filing of the written statements and rejoinders of the parties.