New History of the Marathas v2.c28.23

v2.c28.23

3. Failure to restrain Najib Khan.—All friends of the Maratha cause sent urgent and pathetic appeals to Raghunathrao not to think of returning to the Deccan quickly, but to canton at or near Delhi in order to give stability to the arrangements just made, and to exercise a check upon evil-doers and inspire confidence among those who like the Pathans of the Doab were vacillating. In fact Raghunathrao received strong appeals from various quarters that he should stay on till at least Dattaji Sindia or some other responsible leader should arrive on the spot. But Raghunathrao played into the hands of Malharrao Holkar, who was deluded by the mischievous Najib Khan's assurance that all was well and that he would see to it that Abdali did not return. While he was making these professions, Najib was actively intriguing with that monarch to come to India and save the Muslim interests from Maratha aggression. Even this double dealing of Najib Khan was plainly reported to Raghunathrao by several responsible agents, but he turned a deaf ear to all such suggestions and directly set out in haste from Karnal on his homeward journey without visiting Delhi on the way.⁵ He should have at least clearly reported these protests to the Peshwa before going back.