Deposition of Gaekwad of Baroda (1875)

The Deposition of the Gaekwad of Baroda in 1875 was a significant political event during British rule in India, involving the removal of Maharaja Malhar Rao Gaekwad, the ruler of the princely state of Baroda (modern-day Vadodara, Gujarat). The British Government of India accused the Gaekwad of maladministration, corruption, and ultimately an attempt to poison the British Resident at Baroda. The incident became one of the most controversial episodes of British–Indian relations in the late nineteenth century, revealing both the extent of British influence over Indian princely states and the political fragility of native rule under the subsidiary alliance system.

Background of the Baroda State

The Gaekwad dynasty was one of the most prominent Maratha ruling houses in western India. Baroda became a princely state under the suzerainty of the British following the Treaty of Cambay (1802) and later the Subsidiary Alliance system established by the East India Company. Though the Gaekwads retained internal autonomy, they were bound by treaty to maintain friendly relations with the British and accept a British Resident at their court.
By the mid-nineteenth century, Baroda had become one of the wealthiest princely states in India. However, political tensions grew after Maharaja Khanderao Gaekwad’s death in 1870, when his brother Malhar Rao Gaekwad ascended the throne. Malhar Rao’s rule soon drew criticism from the British authorities due to allegations of misgovernment, extravagant expenditure, and arbitrary punishments of state officials.

Maladministration and British Intervention

Malhar Rao’s governance was marked by what British officials described as “gross misrule.” Reports sent to the Government of India indicated widespread corruption, excessive taxation, and cruelty in the administration of justice. The British Resident at Baroda, Colonel Robert Phayre, made several complaints against the Maharaja, accusing him of intimidating subordinates and misusing state funds for personal luxury.
By 1874, relations between the Maharaja and the British Resident had deteriorated severely. The British Government of India, led by Viceroy Lord Northbrook, sought to restrain the ruler through diplomatic channels but refrained from direct annexation, mindful of earlier controversies such as the Doctrine of Lapse.

The Poisoning Allegation

The situation reached its climax in November 1874, when Colonel Phayre fell ill under suspicious circumstances. A subsequent investigation alleged that Malhar Rao had attempted to poison the British Resident with arsenic mixed in sherbet (a sweet drink). This accusation provided the British with grounds for immediate and decisive action.
Though evidence was largely circumstantial and contested, the British Government treated the alleged assassination attempt as a grave affront to imperial authority. The incident led to the suspension of Malhar Rao’s administrative powers and his confinement pending formal inquiry.

The Baroda Commission of Inquiry (1875)

To ensure a semblance of judicial procedure, the British established a Special Commission of Inquiry in early 1875. The commission consisted of three members—one British official, one Indian representative nominated by the Maharaja, and one neutral member. Its task was to examine the charges of misgovernment and the alleged attempt to murder the Resident.
The proceedings were widely publicised and watched closely by both British and Indian observers. Malhar Rao vehemently denied the allegations, claiming they were the result of personal enmity between himself and the Resident. However, despite the lack of conclusive evidence proving the poisoning attempt beyond doubt, the commission found the Maharaja guilty of misrule and conduct inconsistent with the obligations of a British ally.

Deposition and Aftermath

On 10 April 1875, the Government of India formally deposed Malhar Rao Gaekwad from the throne of Baroda. The decision was approved by the Secretary of State for India, Lord Salisbury, in London. The British justified the deposition on grounds of “gross misgovernment” and “incompatibility with the obligations of a princely ruler.”
Rather than annexing Baroda, as had been done with other states in earlier decades, the British chose to maintain it as a princely state under indirect rule. They appointed Maharani Jamnabai, the widow of the late Khanderao Gaekwad, as the regent, and adopted Sayajirao Gaekwad III, a young boy from a collateral branch of the family, as the new ruler. This adoption and subsequent enthronement ensured dynastic continuity under British supervision.
Malhar Rao was exiled to Madras (now Chennai), where he lived under pension until his death in 1882.

Significance of the Deposition

The deposition of the Gaekwad of Baroda was significant for several reasons:

• Assertion of British Authority: The case demonstrated the British Government’s power to depose Indian rulers without formal annexation, reinforcing the political subordination of princely states.
• Shift in Imperial Policy: Unlike earlier policies of annexation under Lord Dalhousie, the British under Viceroy Lord Northbrook and later Lord Lytton preferred to exercise control through indirect governance and administrative reform, maintaining the façade of princely autonomy.
• Emergence of Constitutional Precedents: The establishment of a mixed judicial commission signified an early attempt to apply quasi-legal procedures in resolving political disputes involving native rulers.
• Impact on Indian Public Opinion: The incident attracted considerable attention among Indian elites, who viewed the proceedings as evidence of British arbitrariness. Some early Indian nationalists later cited the Baroda case as an example of imperial overreach and interference in internal matters.

Sayajirao Gaekwad III and Administrative Reforms

The installation of Sayajirao Gaekwad III (reigned 1875–1939) marked a new era in Baroda’s history. Although he initially ruled under British guidance, Sayajirao became one of the most enlightened and reform-oriented princes of India. His administration introduced:

• Educational reforms, including compulsory primary education.
• Economic modernisation, such as irrigation works and industrial promotion.
• Social welfare policies, including prohibition of child marriage and support for women’s education.
• Patronage of Indian nationalism, exemplified by his support for leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

Sayajirao’s long and progressive reign helped rehabilitate Baroda’s reputation and transformed it into one of the most modern princely states under the British Raj.

Broader Context and Legacy

The Baroda case reflects the intricate balance between sovereignty and subordination within the British Indian political framework. Princely states were nominally autonomous but remained subject to British approval in matters of succession, administration, and external relations.
The 1875 deposition underscored how the British combined legal formalism with political expediency to maintain control. It also revealed the limits of native agency within the colonial system. While the Baroda crisis ended without annexation, it set a precedent for imperial oversight and became a warning to other princes who challenged British authority.