INDIA'S MAHARAJAHS WERE IN A FIGHTING MOOD YESTERDAY (SATURDAY) WHEN THEY MET IN NEW DELHI TO PLAN THEIR BATTLE AGAINST A GOVERNMENT MOVE TO STRIP THEM OF THEIR ALLOWANCES AND PRIVILEGES. MORE THAN 30 MAHARAJAHS ATTENDED THE OPENING OF THE TWO-DAY MEETING IN A LUXURY HOTEL WHILE OTHERS SENT BROTHERS, SONS AND WIVES TO REPRESENT THEM.

EXCEPT FOR A SPLASH OF COLOUR FROM THE SILKEN SARIS OF THE MAHARANIS, THE INDIAN NOBILITY WERE IN SOBER ATTIRE IN THEIR BUSH SHIRTS, LOUNGE SUITS AND CLOSED COLLAR TUNICS COMPARED WITH THE MAGNIFICENCE FOR WHICH THEY WERE ONCE FAMED.

THEIR TASK IS TO TRY AND PREVENT THE GOVERNMENT FROM CARRYING THROUGH A PROPOSAL TO STOP THE COUNTRY'S NOBILITY FROM RECEIVING PRIVY PURSES AND PRIVILEGES GRANTED WHEN THE MAHARAJAHS AGREED TO MERGE THEIR STATES WITH AN INDEPENDENT INDIAN.

CONFERENCE SOURCES SAID THE DELEGATES WERE UNANIMOUS IN THEIR DETERMINATION TO RESIST THE GOVERNMENT AND OBSERVERS POINTED OUT THAT RECENT ELECTIONS SHOWED THE MAHARAJAHS STILL WIELD CONSIDERABLE POLITICAL POWER WHICH, IF USED IN THE FIGHT, COULD EMBARRASS THE RULING CONGRESS PARTY.

TEN OF THE PRINCES AT THE MEETING ARE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT AND EIGHT ARE MEMBERS OF STATE ASSEMBLIES. NEARLY 100 FORMER RULERS AND MEMBERS OF THEIR FAMILIES WERE ELECTED TO PARLIAMENT OR STATE ASSEMBLIES EARLIER THIS YEAR.

AT THE END OF THE FIRST DAY'S BUSINESS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MEETING, MAHARAJAH GAEKWAT OF BARODA, TOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE THAT THE MAHARAJAHS HAD DECIDED TO FORM AN ASSOCIATION TO PLOT THEIR BATTLE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT.