71
be reduced to 20 tolas ; so also a rate should be
fixed at which the licensee should sell the drug.
64. No.
65. According to the present system the
monopoly of selling intoxicating drugs (including
ganja, bhang and charas) is put to public auction,
and the person whose bid is accepted is given a
license. The licensee sells these articles at his
own rates. Under such circumstances it is
impossible to state what is the taxation of each of
the drugs (ganja, bhang and charas) and therefore
comparison with reference to each other is im
-
possible. A comparison of the tax on ganja
with that on alcoholic intoxicants shows that the
former tax is lighter than the latter. In order
to check the vice of the use of ganja some
enhancement in the tax seems desirable.
66. I think there should be different rates of
taxation for different kinds of ganja according as
such kind possesses more or less narcotic property.
67 and 68. No.
69. The wishes of the people are not consulted
before a shop is opened in any locality. I think
the opinion of the local bodies ought to be con
-
sidered before a shop is opened for the retail sale
of intoxicating drugs.
70. I am not aware of any facts. The Bombay
Abkari Act has been introduced by the Native
States, which are bound by agreement to enforce
it. Everything is done according to the rules
under the Act and strict supervision is exercised
by the Abkari Department, and therefore the
payment of duty is not, so far I know, evaded.
There is no general use of untaxed drugs.
Appendix to the evidence of RAO BAHA-
DUR
RAMCHANDRA RAJARAM MULÉ.
Translation.
Great is the holy preceptor, Sitaram
The warrior Bajrang before him stands,
The enemy's skull is off.
Having drunk the nectar of devotion to Ram,
He stands in an attitude of meditation
And contemplates devoutly the preceptor's feet.
Take (the name) of the hill (deity).
Great (deity of) Badri,
Send, oh! bearded god (Mahadev),
Bread like unto the cloud,
And dal (as plentiful) as the ocean,
For your worshippers to eat.
Thou art near unto him who is present
And far from him who is negligent.
Take (the name) of Bramha Mahadev.
The body is dirty;
The mind is pure;
He stands on one foot contemplating.
Some one says,
" I am a sadhu (saint)."
A mine of extreme fraud he is;
Deceit takes possession of a hypocrite's heart,
But a sadhu has Ram in his mind.
We do not know of any deceit;
The object is to fill the stomach.
Take (the name) of the hill (deity).
A sadhu devotes himself to another sadhu,
But a deceitful man devotes himself to (the
acquisition of treasure) :
Keep the company of the great,
Greatness will increase;
Associate with a sadhu,
And you will be turned into a pearl.
Associate with the bad,
And lose the (fruits of) meditation.
Take (the name) of the hill (deity).
Come, oh ! thou Kali (ganja)
Of Calcutta :
Thy word will never prove untrue;
Take the front one to the rear,
Pluck the scoundrel's beard,
He who has spoiled the ways of religion.
Thrash the scoundrel
In front of the chavdi.
Burn, oh ! mother (ganja?), burn :
Bramha Mahadev.
(N.B.—The sense is not clear in some places and the
language used is vulgar.)
Oral evidence.
Question 8.—The increase in demand for ganja
has been partly due to the improved condition of
the people, but partly also to increased export to
Bijapur district, Miraj State and Belgaum
district.
The cultivation of hemp is very profitable and
prohibition of cultivation would affect the people
considerably, the raiyats I mean. The Jath State
is under management; and the Bombay Excise
Rules are in force. I do not think hemp drugs
are mentioned in any agreement with this State ;
but the State is bound by agreement to act accord
-
ing to the general Abkari Law of Bombay.
Question 15 .—Bhaji is different from bhoja.
It is only occasionally used in the way I have
explained.
Question 20.—I think that nearly one in ten
(i.e., eight per cent.) of adult males use ganja. I
do not think this too high an estimate.
Question 29.—I have not met any one who said
he used dhatura. But I have been told that some
gosains, &c., use this drug : the seeds, and only
rarely.
Question 40.— I do not know what the diseases
are for which the hemp drugs are used by native
medical practitioners.
Question 51.—I have inquired into this matter
personally and have found that the classes of bad
characters I have named are smokers. Con
-
tractors and village officers in the Jath State are
my informants.
Question 52.-I know no case personally of
running amuck. I have heard of such cases and
read of them in newspapers. They are rare.