Constitutional Adviser to Bikaner continues.......

I showed this telegram to His Highness and he felt rather disappointed but told me that I should return to Delhi by the very saloon by which I had come and directed me to pursuade the Sardar not. to press me. for the alternative assignment.

Thus I returned to New Delhi on the 22nd. The next morning I went to see Sardar Patel who was convalescing and was still not allowed to move out of his bed. I enquired from Shanker and he told me that Sardar Patel desired that I should go to Assam as Chief Justice. I had not the least desire to go to Assam as Chief Justice.

I preferred my job in the Simla High Court to this assignment. I met the Sardar and thanked him for his offer and for the interest he took in my career but respectfully mentioned to him that my going to Assam was out of question.

One single trip to Assam and back home would take away a big slice of my salary. The Sardar appreciated my point of view and smilingly said, “All right, you can spend some time
in Bikaner.”

I informed His Highness of the result of this interview and he immediately sent me the following telegram “Delighted you have declined the other offer and can take up
service in Bikaner. The interim Government has to-day agreed to your appointment here.”

I thus returned to Bikaner on the 25th and His Highness appointed me his Adviser in the following terms:

“It gives me pleasure to appoint Mr. Mehr Chand Mahajan as my Adviser with effect from the 26th March and his advice will also be available for my Government as may be required.”

I was getting Rs. 5,000 per month income-tax free, a free furnished house, travelling allowance according to the State Rules and a number of other facilities, inter alia two months’ stay at Abu during summer as a special case provided the exigencies of duty did not necessitate my presence in Bikaner.

To be continued....