Though the Englishmen are opposed to the existence of the parda system among the natives, every official bureau in this country puts on the veil to conceal its affairs from the public view. If any information happens to leak out, a thicker veil is put on. The political department is like a newly married girl who never allows her veil to be removed. A general account of the revenues is published. But the income greatly exceeded the expenditure, the public urged that the judicial service should be strengthened to be expedite the administration of justice or the court- fee reduced. Government did neither of these things, but discontinued the publication of accounts in question, and ordered the accounts concerning the civil courts to be mixed up with those relating to the criminal and the revenue courts! The same is the case with other departments. Their can be no objection to keeping the frontier affairs secret, but all information regarding the internal administration of the country should be freely laid before the public. On the one hand, the native newspapers are accused by the authorities of criticizing the government measures without obtaining full information regarding those measures; while, on the other, the authorities do not give publicity to such in formations.
(Oudh Punch. 7/3/1901)
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