Col Archie Pugh - Comment from Abhay Datar in India
Dear Mr. Lawford, I recently came across your blog on your grandfather, Colonel A J Pugh. I had been looking out for information on Col. Pugh since I read his oral evidence to the Franchise Committee of 1918-19. There he advocated joint electorates for Indians and Europeans in order to build racial harmony and improve relations among the two communities. This proposal was quite fascinating and stood apart from the evidence from the other representatives of the European community in India. Furthermore, Col Pugh had also initiated the presentation of a joint address by Europeans and Indians of Calcutta to Edwin Montague, the then Secretary of State for India and Lord Chelmsford the Viceroy in 1917 asking for sub-provincial autonomy- one finds this aspect to be a precursor of the linguistic reorganization of states in India of 1956. What fascinates me the most is that Col Pugh made this proposal when he was connected with the upper echelons of the Raj, his father being the Attorney Gene...