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Aga Khan III Event - 1939
The occasion was a tea party given in honour of His Royal Highness by the Syed Miran Mohammed Shah, speaker of the Sind Assembly. The question of payment of the Sukkur Barrage debt was the principal subject of talk at the function. Mr. Nichaldas Vazirani, Minister in the Sindh Government said to His Highness, 'You gave birth to the Sind Province. We look to you to take care of us and use your influence with the high-ups in England, including the Secretary of State, so that Sind may be relieved of the burden of the Barrage Debt.'
His Highness was impressed with the justness of this demand of the Sindhis and is said to have suggested that a regular campaign be launched asking the Government of India to wipe off the Barrage debt completely as had been done in the case of the debts of certain other Provinces. He further suggested that the Press in Sind should help the 'No Barrage Debt' movement by educating public opinion on the inequitableness of the basis on which the repayment of the Barrage debt had been calculated. He said that all parties should make it a national question, that the whole of Sind should back it up with one voice. The Ministry should stake everything on the successful solution of the problem and resign if their voice should be unheard, and nobody should come forward to take up the Ministry's place.
'Sind,' His Highness observed, 'is the gateway India and the whole of India should see that Sindhis get all opportunities of healthy growth to manhood and not be crippled in their infancy with a heavy debt burden, which is totally impossible for them to pay off.' The just demand of the Sindhis in this respect was later very largely met by the British Government owing to the efforts and influence of His Royal Highness Aga Khan III.
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