Rajja Sourav Singh Sarmal
Justice is a fundamental requirement for any successful government. The administration of justice is vital for maintaining law and order and fostering prosperity in a nation. While modern governments have numerous courts and law-making authorities, citizens still complain about the lack of justice being delivered to them. The first Dogra ruler of modern Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja Gulab Singh Dogra, provides an example of the importance of a fair and just administration.
Maharaja Gulab Singh Dogra brought together the historically associated areas of Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Baltistan, Aksai Tibet and united them into one administrative unit. However, the administration faced several challenges due to various organisational defects. The jurisdiction of different departments and officials was overlapping, laws and jurisprudence were primitive and verbal and the judicial system was disorganised. The tax system was also irrational and oppressive and social evils were not being reformed.
Ladakh was left to itself after being conquered by Wazir Zorawar Singh Dogra in 1834-35. Kashmir Valley faced brutal tyranny under the Mughals and Afghans, with little relief when Afghan rule was replaced by Sikh rule in 1819. Although the Sikhs were less barbarically cruel, they were still tough masters.
The state of the newly-formed country of Jammu and Kashmir under Gulab Singh’s rule was disorganised and oppressive, plagued by lawlessness and disorder. However, Gulab Singh was able to restore peace and security by punishing corrupt and tyrannical officials with a firm hand. He believed in the overwhelming duty of a monarch to deliver even-handed and prompt justice and his love of justice and public morality led him to take stern measures of repression against crimes such as execution, amputation of limbs and flaying alive of thieves. As a result, crime rates were significantly reduced and law and order prevailed throughout his territories. Despite this, Gulab Singh did not spend enough time organizing his administration, including the judiciary, along systematic and humanitarian lines that could uphold his ideal of universal, affordable and prompt justice.
The memoirs of Alexander Gardner provide insight into Maharaja Gulab Singh’s commitment to maintaining law and order in his kingdom. Gardner recounts a story in which a traveling merchant was robbed by three thieves who, upon hearing the merchant cry out “Dooai Maharaj!” (Succour, oh king!), immediately returned the stolen property and stipulated that the merchant should never reveal the circumstances of the incident. However, the merchant went back on his promise and complained to Maharaja Gulab Singh about being robbed.
Upon learning the truth, Maharaja Gulab Singh sent out a hue and cry throughout the kingdom and the thieves were eventually captured and brought before him. They admitted to the robbery but explained that they had returned the goods upon hearing the invocation of the Maharaja’s name. In a shrewd move, the Maharaja had already obtained a list of the stolen property from the complainant and had it compared to the items recovered from the thieves. It was discovered that the merchant had lied and had sold some of the stolen property in the market.
As a result, the merchant was sentenced to lose his property, which was given to the robbers and he was thrown in jail for nine months. The buyers were reimbursed and the thieves were pardoned. This incident illustrates the effectiveness of Maharaja Gulab Singh’s rule in maintaining law and order and punishing those who violated it.
Indeed, Maharaja Gulab Singh Dogra’s legacy as a just and effective ruler serves as an inspiration for those in positions of authority. His commitment to good governance and attention to detail helped to establish order and stability in a region that had previously been marked by chaos and feudalism. Additionally, his willingness to listen to complaints and take action to address them demonstrates a deep concern for the welfare of his subjects. By laying the groundwork for future development and reform, Gulab Singh left a lasting impact on the state that bears his name and his example continues to inspire those who seek to promote justice and good governance in their own spheres of influence.
(The author is a columnist)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
