what were the demands of moderates?

they wanted more indians in ics,they thought thi would reduce administration cost
thay wanted maxium age for ics exam to be raised
they wanted ics exam to be held not only in england but also in india
they wanted better conditions of lork for indian labours in south africa,south east asia
they wanted reduction in military expenses and greater expenditure in education and agriculture and other constructive activities

hope this help....!!thumps up pllzz.!!! :)

Bahrain’s main opposition party has moderated its demands as it seeks to open a dialogue with the government in an effort to end the political crisis engulfing the kingdom.

The climbdown comes less than two weeks after the government launched a crackdown on largely Shia pro-democracy demonstrations that had rocked the country since mid-February.

Members of the opposition say they have dropped previous preconditions to dialogue, which included the resignation of the cabinet and a constituent assembly to rewrite the constitution.

The government, which has called for a national dialogue, has yet to respond to the initiative, which has come as the result of contacts between the Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, the Kuwaiti emir, and the opposition.

Sheikh Khalid Al Khalifa, the foreign minister, on Monday denied talk of Kuwaiti mediation, saying a previous initiative had not been answered.

Joe Biden, the US vice-president, on Sunday spoke to Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Crown Prince, and both agreed that “only a political solution would give Bahrain long-term stability”.

The opposition says the Kuwaiti side has agreed to act as a neutral interlocutor, but details of the mediation are still unknown.

People close to the government say some hardline state elements are in no mood for talks.

Despite $10bn in economic support for Bahrain pledged by its neighbouring Gulf Arab states, opposition members say only a political solution can ensure the stability needed to revive the country’s status as a banking and tourism hub.

Kuwait, which has a large Shia minority, has a more democratic system than its neighbours in the oil-rich Gulf. Sheikh Sabah has also helped mediate regional disputes, most recently engaging in shuttle diplomacy to reduce tensions between Oman and the United Arab Emirates after Muscat accused its neighbour of spying on the sultanate.

“The dialogue will only be on solid ground if we can solve issues such as detainees and checkpoints,” said Jawad Fairooz, a member of al-Wefaq.

The March 16 crackdown on the Pearl roundabout and ongoing security lockdown has pushed protests into Shia villages outside the capital.

A delegation from the Kuwaiti emir contacted the opposition as far back as February 17, the day the pro-democracy movement on the Pearl roundabout was violently cleared.

The crown prince then attempted to launch a dialogue, but opposition groups pushed for concessions before the talks started. He made a final offer of a framework for talks, including more powers for parliament and investigations into corruption, but the opposition held out for constitutional change.

At the same time, opposition hardliners pushed the protests out of Pearl roundabout into the heart of Manama’s financial district, prompting the government to call in troops from neighbouring Saudi Arabia and the UAE ahead of a crackdown on protesters.

Effective martial law has since been imposed, with security forces moving into Shia villages on a daily basis, firing teargas and shotguns.

On Sunday, the army moved into Karzakan, a restive Shia village that has remained a fortress of protest. Barricades including telegraph poles and burnt cars hampered security forces’ access to the village.

Armoured personnel carriers used diggers to remove the barricades as masked soldiers patrolled the back streets.

Over the past few days, sporadic clashes broke out in the village, as well as in neighbouring Al-Malkiya and Dumestan, as demonstrators marched almost daily to voice their calls for change, in direct contravention of the military ban on protests.

Residents said police have entered the villages at day and night, firing at demonstrators and arresting some youths.

The name of the crown prince carried in an earlier version of this story has been corrected and comments by the foreign minister on absence of Kuwait mediation have been added

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Moderates were the group of congressmen who dominated the affairs of the Congress from 1885 to 1905. They belonged to a class which was Indian in blood and colour, but British in tastes, opinions, morals and intellect. They were the supporters of British institutions. They believed that what India needed was a balanced and lucid presentation of her needs before the Englishmen and their Parliament and their demands were bound to be satisfied. They had faith in the British sense of justice and fair-play. India`s connection with the West through England was considered to be a boon and not a curse.

The Moderates believed in loyalty to the British crown. This fact is clearly brought out by the statements made from time to time by the Moderate leaders. The Moderates relied upon the solemn pledges given by the British Government to the people of India from time to time and the Queen`s Proclamation of 1858 was one of them.

The Moderates believed in orderly progress and constitutional agitation. They believed in patience, steadiness, conciliation and union. The Moderates believed in Constitutional agitation within the four corners of law. They believed that their main task was to educate the people, to arouse national and political consciousness and also to create a united public opinion on political consciousness. For that purpose they held meetings. They criticised the government through the press. They drafted and submitted memorials and petitions to the government, to the officials of the Government of India and also to the British Parliament. They also worked to influence the British Parliament and British public opinion and a lot of money was spent for years for that purpose.

The object of the Moderates was the "wider employment" of Indians in high offices in the public services and the establishment of representative institutions. The Moderates were fully aware of the fact that India was a nation in the making. So they worked constantly for the development and consolidation of the feeling of national unity irrespective of region, caste or religion. They hoped to make a humble beginning in this direction by promoting close contacts and friendly relations among people from different pa rts of the country.

The economic and political demands of the Moderates were formulated with a view to unify the Indian people on the basis of a common political programme. They organised a powerful all-India agitation against the abandonment of tariff-duties on import and against the imposition of cotton excise duties. The agitation aroused the feelings of the people and helped them to realise the real aims and purposes of British rule in India.

The Moderates carried on an agitation for the reduction of heavy land revenue assessments. The urged the government to provide cheap credit to the peasantry through agricultural banks and to make available irrigation facilities on a large scale. They asked for improvement in the conditions of work of the plantation labourers. They demanded a radical change in the existing pattern of taxation and expenditure which put a heavy burden on the poor while leaving the rich, especially the foreigners with a very light load. They also demanded the abolition of salt tax which hit the poor and lower middle classes hard.

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