16/11/2021

The Railways in India

C.S.Bharati

(மகாகவி பாரதி நினைவு நூற்றாண்டு சிறப்புப் பதிவு- 67)
    
    மகாகவி பாரதி பணியாற்றிய அனைத்துப் பத்திரிகைகளின் பதிவுகளும் நமக்கு இன்னமும் கிடைக்கவில்லை. அந்நியா ஆதிக்கம், கடுமையான கெடுபிடி, தொழில்நுட்ப வசதியின்மை போன்ற காரணங்களால் அவரது எழுத்துகள் முழுமையும் நமக்கு அகப்படவில்லை என்பது நமது துர்பாக்கியமே.

    கீழே உள்ள கட்டுரையானது, பாரதி ஆசிரியராக இருந்த ‘விஜயா’ பத்திரிகையில் வெளியான அவரது கட்டுரை குறித்த ஆங்கில மொழிபெயர்ப்பாகும். பாரதி ‘விஜயா’ மாலைப் பத்திரிகையில் எழுதிய தமிழ்க் கட்டுரையை ஆங்கிலேய அரசின் ஒற்றர்கள் ஆங்கிலத்தில் மொழிபெயர்த்து அரசுக்கு சமர்ப்பித்த அறிக்கையில் உள்ள கட்டுரை இது...

-ஆசிரியர் குழு

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Comparing the railways in India with those in the United States of America, the Vijaya observes:

It is only in India that all the railways belong to the Government. The railways which were laid in India from the beginning were constructed without expecting any passengers. Though it is said ostensibly that they were started for the convenience of the Indians, they were, in reality, constructed for conveying the troops from one place to another in order to keep the Indians under subjection.

Just has the term Indian Army means the army which keeps the Indians under subjection, the Indian railway is a railway which takes away the wealth of the Indians. Though this was constructed at first for self-interest, the Government said that the railway was of great use for conveying the articles of food in times of famine, from a place where they were abundant to a place where there were scandy. The truth of this has now come out very plainly. Even when severe famine prevails in India, articles of food are exported to foreign countries through these railways. Thus, they are not only not useful in times of famine, but they give a good deal of trouble to the people.

Not to speak of the want of convenience in many places, there is no end to the troubles caused by the Englishman and East Indians. When a large number of Indians have to proceed on pilgrimage the carriages which are provided for them are only those intended for cattle and goods. It is only these (passengers) from whom the bulk of the revenue is derived. But all that is utilized for making suitable arrangements for the Englishmen when they go to the hills during the summer season. It is only in the English regime that such conduct is said to be not partial in the least. Moreover, all these railways have been constructed with the revenue paid by the people and is under the control of the British Government. If this is described in detail, it will be against the new Press Act.

-Vijaya (21 February 1910)

(When Vijaya original was not available, this, from English police report was taken)

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