Ashe, the Collector of Tinnelvelly, was shot at close range on the platform of Maniyachi Railway Station in the same District on 17 June 1911. He later died. Vanchi Aiyer who shot Ashe, committed suicide. On his body was found a letter in Tamil which stated that every Indian was trying to drive out the English and that "3000 Madrasis had taken a vow to kill George V as soon as he landed in the country." Fourteen persons were implicated and went on trial at the Madras Court. The Special Bench, comprising Sir Charles Arnold White (Chief Justice), Justice Sankaran Nair, and Justice Ayling, pronounced its preliminary verdict on 15 February 1912. The judges were unanimous in rejecting the prosecution charge of abatement of murder against the fourteen, so on that count all of them were acquitted. But the three judges differed in their perception on the accusation against the fourteen for conspiring to wage a war against the King. At any rate, what the judges explained in their judgment was that the accused, mainly the first accused Nilakanta Brahmachari, was sent out from Pondicherry, and the conspiracy was hatched from the French territory; they quoted copiously from India,
Page-235 British government through its representative in Madras, mounted pressure on the French: nothing short of the extradition of the Indian political refugees would do. The 'Swadeshis' were naturally alarmed. They alerted their French friends in France. There followed quite an exchange of letters between the Ligue Francaise pour la Defense (les Droits del 'Homme el du Citoyen September 22, 1911
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The president of the League went on to express the hope that the French authorities were indeed not thinking of expelling those having full trust in the hospitality of the French Republic. But in case some of the political refugees had indeed to be expelled, at least not to hand them over to the Anglo-Indian administration; and immediately to give explicit instructions about it to the officials concerned. Well, the French Minister of Colonies did not tarry (quite unlike our present-day ministers, eh! Indian ministers don't even care to acknowledge receipt of a letter let alone give a reply ...) but sent a polite reply on 18 October, enclosing a copy of the last paragraph of his own letter dated 13 October to the Governor Duprat.
Signed: A. Lebrun
However, Lebrun's complete letter to Governor Duprat brings into focus another angle on the subject of 'Swadeshistes.' This was 1911 and the British King, George V who had been crowned the previous year, was on the point of paying a visit with his queen Mary to the 'brightest jewel' of his empire. The French Foreign Office was all of a dither, and surely had talked to the Colonial Ministry.
Page-237 Paris, 13 October 1911
By return of post, the president of the French League sent off another missive to the Colonial minister, first thanking him for the instructions he had given to Governor Duprat concerning expulsion of the Hindu nationalists. Then again he expressed his worry at the continued activities of the Anglo-Indian police in French territory.
Page-238 19 October 1911 "Minister, Sir, "Additional information received from credible correspondents, which I take the liberty to communicate to you, will show you that not only is there no need to expel Messrs. Aiyar and Arabinda Gosh and their friends, but that we have to check the intrusion of the Anglo-Indian Police into French territory. Five inspectors and around twenty constables, all belonging to the C.I., surround Mr. Aiyar's house and follow him wherever he goes; I am told there are in Pondicherry town up to two hundred constables. Mr Ayar, in alarm, met the Governor of Pondicherry, who assured him that no decision would be made without thorough investigation. "However, the constables, scattered all over the town, spread rumours detrimental to the refugees. They say that those Swadeshis cooperate with the party of Mr. Gaston Pierre, teach its members how to make explosives, and make explosives themselves; they allege that the murder of Ashe was prepared in Pondicherry and that one of the accused in the Tinneveli affair is hidden in Pondicherry at Mr. Aiyar's. I understand that all these allegations are false
"Those are, Sir, extremely serious facts: the presence of a large number of British constables in Pondicherry would be dangerous not only for the Swadeshis who sought asylum from the French Republic, but for the security of the town, where they may instigate unrest."
Page-239 It was Lebrun who had underlined the words are false besides putting a question mark against them. But promised to keep in touch with the League. The minister kept his word. He communicated to the League's president that Governor Duprat had assured him the Swadeshis were never harassed by the British Secret Police— "which is momentarily and exceptionally tolerated on our territory owing to the visit of the English sovereigns to India." Governor Duprat in fact brushed aside the French League's worry and taking liberty with truth gave a clean chit to the Anglo-Indian police. "... At no time have the Swadeshis suspected by the British Secret Police, which is momentarily and exceptionally tolerated on our territory, really been harassed by that police. I add that the French police, which keep their own watch on the refugees, have not so far informed me of any specific misdeed that could be held against them." In the same letter dated 10th January 1912, the governor added that the secret police were to leave the French territory any day now, because "the British monarchs have today sailed to Europe from Bombay." Well, King George V and Queen Mary left the shores of India after announcing that the Partition of Bengal—the settled and irrevocable fact—was now revoked, and that Bengal was again one, undivided. Everyone in the government heaved a sigh of relief, hoping fervently that now the terrorist menace had no more reason to exist.
At least so thought the French government.
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