Chattur Singh
Encyclopedia
Chandersen Chattur Singh caused a major sensation in early Fiji Indian politics, when against all odds he defeated A.D. Patel
, a well known lawyer and political ally of Vishnu Deo
, in the 1937 Legislative Council
Election.
, which in 1926 asked for an India
n member to be nominated again to the Legislative Council and Badri Maharaj
was re-nominated. Chattur Singh had been an early supporter of common roll and on a visit overseas in 1929, put the case for Fiji Indians to H.S.L. Polak, the Secretary for the Indians Overseas Association. In 1931, he appealed to Jawaharlal Nehru for help for the Fiji Indians in their fight for common roll.
traders and money lenders, and the fact that A.D. Patel was an India-born Gujarati, to turn the election to one between Fiji-born and India-born. Together with Ayodhya Prasad
and other young men he organised a secret organisation called the New Youth Army. Chattur Singh won the election by 671 votes to Patel’s 651 with 66 votes being invalid.
was formed, its members were mainly those who had supported Chattur Singh in the election campaign. Aware of the power of the Colonial Sugar Refining Company
, Chattur Singh soon distanced himself from the Kisan Sangh. He claimed to represent the mill workers and farmers in their struggle for better remuneration, but without a political base, did not have enough support to contest the next election in 1940. During the Second World War, he supported the war effort and had his son enlisted in the army. In the 1947 Legislative Council, Chattur Singh challenged the incumbent, A.D. Patel, and lost by 1972 votes to 1106. He attempted another comeback in 1956, losing to Ayodhya Prasad
in a five-way race.
A.D. Patel
Ambalal Dahyabhai Patel, better known as A.D. Patel, was a Fiji Indian politician, farmers' leader and founder and leader of the National Federation Party. Patel was uncompromisingly committed to a vision of an independent Fiji, with full racial integration...
, a well known lawyer and political ally of Vishnu Deo
Vishnu Deo
Pandit Vishnu Deo OBE was the first Fiji born and bred leader of the Fiji Indians. From 1929, when he was first elected to the Legislative Council, until his retirement in 1959, he remained the most powerful Fiji Indian political leader in Fiji...
, in the 1937 Legislative Council
Legislative Council (Fiji)
The Fijian Legislative Council was the colonial precursor to the present-day Parliament, which came into existence when Fiji became independent on 10 October 1970.-The first Legislative Council:...
Election.
Early Political Activities
Chattur Singh was one of the first Fiji-born Indians to take an active interest in politics. He opposed the Residential Tax Legislation (poll tax) of 1922, which imposed an annual tax of one pound on all Fiji residents between the ages of 18 and 60, by refusing to pay the tax. The court ordering his bicycle to be sold to pay for the tax. In the early twenties he formed the Young Men’s Indian Association of LautokaLautoka
Lautoka is the second largest city of Fiji and the second largest in the South Pacific. It is in the west of the island of Viti Levu, 24 kilometres north of Nadi, and is the second port of entry in Fiji, after Suva. Lying in the heart of Fiji's sugar cane growing region, it is known as the Sugar...
, which in 1926 asked for an India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n member to be nominated again to the Legislative Council and Badri Maharaj
Badri Maharaj
Badri Maharaj was an Indo-Fijian farmer, politician, and philanthropist. He was the first Indian member of the Legislative Council serving for two periods between 1916 to 1923 and 1926 to 1929 as a nominated member but he was not a popular choice for Fiji Indians, who preferred the lawyer, Manilal...
was re-nominated. Chattur Singh had been an early supporter of common roll and on a visit overseas in 1929, put the case for Fiji Indians to H.S.L. Polak, the Secretary for the Indians Overseas Association. In 1931, he appealed to Jawaharlal Nehru for help for the Fiji Indians in their fight for common roll.
The 1937 Election
In the 1937 election, Chattur Singh decided to contest the North Western Indian Division against A.D. Patel. Singh was a law clerk (for Lautoka lawyer, Douglas Charmers) while Patel was an accomplished lawyer and had the support of Vishnu Deo. Chattur Singh used an ingenious technique to fight the election. He used the Fiji Indian’s dislike of GujaratiGujarati people
Gujarati people , or Gujaratis are an ethnic group that is traditionally Gujarati-speaking and can trace their ancestry to the state of Gujarat in western India...
traders and money lenders, and the fact that A.D. Patel was an India-born Gujarati, to turn the election to one between Fiji-born and India-born. Together with Ayodhya Prasad
Ayodhya Prasad
Ayodhya Prasad Sharma was an Indo-Fijian farmers’ leader and politician, who formed the most successful farmers’ union in Fiji and forced the Colonial Sugar Refining Company to make concessions to farmers after 60 years of complete control over Fiji’s economy...
and other young men he organised a secret organisation called the New Youth Army. Chattur Singh won the election by 671 votes to Patel’s 651 with 66 votes being invalid.
Political Decline
Later in 1937, when the Kisan SanghKisan Sangh
Kisan Sangh was the first farmers' union formed in Fiji on 27 November 1937. This was the result of one man's determination to improve the plight of Fiji's Indian cane farmers...
was formed, its members were mainly those who had supported Chattur Singh in the election campaign. Aware of the power of the Colonial Sugar Refining Company
Colonial Sugar Refining Company (Fiji)
The Colonial Sugar Refining Company began operations in Fiji in 1880 and until it ceased operations in 1973, had a considerable influence on the political and economic life of Fiji. Prior to its expansion to Fiji, the CSR was operating Sugar Refineries in Melbourne and Auckland...
, Chattur Singh soon distanced himself from the Kisan Sangh. He claimed to represent the mill workers and farmers in their struggle for better remuneration, but without a political base, did not have enough support to contest the next election in 1940. During the Second World War, he supported the war effort and had his son enlisted in the army. In the 1947 Legislative Council, Chattur Singh challenged the incumbent, A.D. Patel, and lost by 1972 votes to 1106. He attempted another comeback in 1956, losing to Ayodhya Prasad
Ayodhya Prasad
Ayodhya Prasad Sharma was an Indo-Fijian farmers’ leader and politician, who formed the most successful farmers’ union in Fiji and forced the Colonial Sugar Refining Company to make concessions to farmers after 60 years of complete control over Fiji’s economy...
in a five-way race.