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Home , Hari Singh

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2019 (PAGE 3)

Suman K Sharma o paraphrase a proverb, the event of Accession had cast a long shadow before it actually happened. On 15 August, T1947, the Indian Independence Act, 1947, caused the set- THOSE 70 DAYS OF ting up of the independent Dominions of and . On 26 October of that year, Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instru- ment of Accession of and to India. The inter- vening 70 days tell a sordid tale of how Pakistan, a country PAK’S MACHINATIONS avowedly found for the Muslim cause, schemed to perpetrate unending bloodshed in this Muslim majority state of ours. After the winding up of the , Maharaja Hari Singh had, like all other ruling princes of the larger states, options before him either to join the Indian Union or merge with Pak- istan.He could have also perhaps thought of being a sovereign king of his domain. The 52-year old monarch, who had been rul- ing Jammu and Kashmir for the last 22 years, mulled over the problem for what seemed a long time during those turbulent days. Joining India would mean that the Muslim majority of his being led and carried out by non-State personnel. The entire force of domain won't be happy. If he acceded to Pakistan, Hindus and over 20,000 fighting men, armed and equipped by the army and pro- Sikh subjects would be insecure. Choosing to be independent did vided logistic support by civilian authorities of Pakistan, was com- not seem a pleasant prospective either. The Damocles' sword of manded by Major General Akbar Khan, codenamed 'Tariq', Tariq was his disgruntled neighbours' ire would be constantly hanging over to be assisted by Brig Sher Khan. his head. The king's prime ministers were of little help to coun- The Pashtun militia and regulars crossed the sel him. He changed three of them in quick succession - Ram State borders on 22 October. They entered , Sialkot and Chandra Kak (28 Jun, 1945 - 10 August 1947), Major General then Ramkot, where they killed, maimed and looted indiscrim- Janak Singh Katoch (10 August 1947-15 October 1947) and Jus- inately. Countless women were raped and carried away. In tice (15 October 1947 to 5 March, 1948). places like Mirpur and , over 4 thousand women pre- In the meanwhile, the powers in Pakistan were perfecting their ferred to jump into wells or commit suicide by any other means own game of nihilism. ready at hand rather than fall into the hands of the hounding They began by hitting at the trade and commerce of J&K. In marauders. violation of the Standstill Agreement that the Maharaja had In the Valley, the Mahora power station was burnt down and signed with the country, Pakistan unilaterally suspended train the whole of plunged into darkness. The State army services, stopped the trade and cut off essential supplies to the could hardly match the invaders who were armed by the Pak- State, such as salt, sugar and petrol. Around that period, Liaqat istan army with latest weapons. By 25 October, the tribals had Ali Khan, Pakistan's Prime Minister, took another discreditable reached the outskirts of Srinagar. The Maharaja made a hasty step, though it did not prove immediatly effective. He retreat to Jammu the same night. In New Delhi, the Joint Defence despatched Mian Iftikharuddin, a Punjabi partisan, to test the Committee got into actioneventually. Lord Mountbatten ruled out waters in the Valley for fomenting trouble. The Mian returned despatching military assistance unless the State had acceded to after spending a month in Kashmir, only to tell Liaquat Ali that India. Finally, it was decided to send V.P. Menon, the Governor Kashmiris won't be swayed by such gimmicks. General's political adviser, to apprise Hari Singh of the pre-condi- and his party, the National Con- tion for the help that he needed so ference (NC), saw the advantage badly. Menon has graphcallyre- of being a part of the India of counted the historic event in his diverse faiths and creeds, rather book: 'The Maharajah was asleep; than joining a country that open- he had left Srinagar the previous ly gave preference solely to Islam evening and had been driving all the over all other religions. night. I woke him up and told him But then another opportunity of what had taken place at the presented itself to Pakistan. It was Defence Committee meeting. He the Poonch rebellion. The Mus- was ready to accede at once. Just as lims of this south-western jagir in I was leaving, he told me that before the State had been agitating for he went to sleep, he had left instruc- quite some time to be part of the tions with his ADC that, if I came British province of Punjab. The back from Delhi, he was not to be heavy taxation imposed by theS- disturbed as it would mean that General Rob Lockhart tate government spiralled up their Government of India had decided Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck grouse. Hari Singh's orders for to come to his rescue and he should disarming of some sixty thousand therefore be allowed to sleep in Poonchi soldiers who had fought peace, but that if I failed to return, for Britain during the World War it meant that everything was lost II further heightened their anger. and, in that case, his ADC was to The agitating militia gathered in shoot him in his sleep.' Nowshera and Islamabad area Maharaja Hari Singh signed and attacked the State troops. On the (IoA) 20 August, 1947, the State army on 26 October, 1947, which was fired on them. Sardar accepted by the Governor Gener- Mohammed Ibrahim Khan, a 32- al the following day. For all its his- year old lawyer and Muslim Con- torical significance, the IoA looks ference member of the Maharaja's Lord Mountbatten, who acted as the Head of the State of India. India and General Frank Messervy by Pakistan) had the overall like any other paper from an old PrajaSabha, succeeded in blowing sarkari file - with cuttings and cor- General Frank Messervy (Pakistan had turned down his offer of services and Mohammed control of the respective Forces;yet the operational control was Sardar-Muhammad the matter out of proportions. Even Ali Jinnah had appropriatedthe position for himself. 'When I am retained by the Joint Defence Committee. rections to boot. It had to be. The Ibrahim-Khan so, the road blocks were cleared and order restored in the area in Governor General', he told Mountbatten, 'the Prime Minister will The shared management of Defence Forces, as it turned out, was 7-clause, 2-page pro-forma was less than a month. HS Stephenson, Britain's Assistant High Com- do what I tell him to'.) was the Head of the a mixed blessing. On 20 August,the plan for Operation Gulmerg to drafted in the month of August that missioner to Pakistan, an unbiased witness, observed that the Indian Government, with Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel as his deputy overrun Srinagar was laid bare when the Brigade Major (BM) of the year for each one of the acceding princes of over 550 states to 'Poonch affair' was 'greatly exaggerated'. Sardar Ibrahim played and 14 other Ministers of the Cabinet. Nothing out of the ordi- Bannu Brigade, Maj OS Kalkat, providentially opened a letter sign. There is nothing special in it for J&K, except the name of a significant role in waging a war against the Maharaja. It was he nary, one would say, as the regimes of the newly formed coun- addressed by Pakistan's Commander-in-Chief, General Messervy, to the State, the name and honorifics of Hari Singh and the dates who eventually founded 'Azad' Kashmir in 1948 and became a four- tries go. the officer's boss, Brig CP Murray.Yet little seems to have been done it has been by the Maharaja and the Governor General. Hari time 'President' of the Pak-occupied territory. Yet, there was something amiss about the dispensation. The to protect Kashmir. According to the plan, 20 lashkars (tribal mili- Singh has signed in black and Mountbatten in green. Be that as it may, Sardar Ibrahim could have achieved little two Dominions, which were showing acrimony, if not open hos- tias), each consisting of 1000 Pashtun tribesmen from Khyber On 27 October itself, Indian troops and equipment were air- in his ambition but for the active support of government of Pak- tility towards each other, had a Joint Defence Committee to over- Pakhtunkhwa, were to be recruited from among various Pashtun lifted to Srinagar under the command of Lt Col DewanRanjit Ray. istan and its army. To have an idea of how they could manage see their defence and security. The icing on the cake was that tribes; to be assisted and led by 40 commissioned officers of the rank Srinagar was saved and the State was with India irrevocably. to wrest away a sizeable chunk of 13,297 sq. km (5134 sq. miles) the Armed Forces of India and Pakistan had the same Supreme of Major and Captain and 200 Junior Commissioner Officers (JCOs) Albeit,one of the longest cycles of violence and retribution in the from the State, a look at the system prevailing during those fate- Commander, Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck. The Services of Pakistan army. These army personnel were to dress up and con- world,that does not seem to end even after the passage of seven- ful days of the dawn of independence would be in order. At the Chiefs, appointed by the Dominions (General Rob Lockhart by duct themselves as Pashtuns to give an impression that the attack was ty-two long years, was set in motion. All thanks to Pakistan. apex was the British king's representative, Governor General, Synthesis of Accession of J&K Political or Military

Col J P Singh Sheikh Abdullah had launched a violent agitation against the Dogra rule and on the other end Mountbatten & Pt. Nehru were ight from the very beginning of an idea of two nation angrily arrayed towards him. Duel between two opposing pow- theory, of Jammu & Kashmir became an er centers marred the prospects of political accession of J&K. Robject of international conspiracy. British plan was to Process of accession as narrated by Justice Mahajan in his make it part of Pakistan for which ample evidence is on record. autobiography 'Looking Back' is summarized as follows: "On But the destiny had it differently. Synthesis of this conspiracy 24th October, Mr R L Batra, the Dy Prime Minister left Srina- goes back to 1931 London Round Table Conference in which gar for Delhi carrying the letter of accession from the Mahara- Maharaja Hari Singh, while speaking for Indian independ- ja and a personal letter for Pt Nehru and another for Sardar ence, stated that he was an Indian first and Maharaja later. Patel asking military help. I also sent official letters to Pt Nehru Thereafter he was seen as an irritant in their rule over India. and Sardar through Dy PM requesting them to save the state This statement made him pay heavily. Sheikh Abdullah, a fire- from Pakistan's unprovoked aggression. Sheikh Abdullah also brand Kashmiri in Aligarh Muslim University was encouraged left Srinagar for Delhi by plane. Maharaja told me to fly to Del- to challenge Maharaja's authority in J&K. He raised 'All India hi to negotiate accession and secure military help. As the Muslim Conference' later 'National Conference' and started administration was grappling with the situation and before I 'Quit Kashmir' a violent agitation against Dogra Ruler which could leave for Delhi, Mr. V P Menon, Home Secretary, arrived was fully supported by British and Congress. Despite indigni- in Srinagar by plane and told me that I must fly to Delhi with ties, Maharajas acceded J&K to India on 26 October 1947. He him to decide upon military help. On 26th early morning I and staked everything to prevent British conspiracy to succeed. Menon flew to Delhi and drove to Pt Nehru's residence straight What is important to note is that the accession of J&K took away. Sardar Patel was also present there. I requested imme- place during an epoch making periods of sub-continental his- diate military aid on any terms. Pt Nehru told me that troops tory. After WW II, Britain simply no longer had the will and could not be sent just on his request and observed that it was the resources to enable them to hold on to its greatest imperi- not easy on the spur of the moment to send troops as such an al asset. It was the time when they granted independence to operation required considerable preparation. After lot of argu- India and left. Their exit was hasty, messy and a clumsy affair. ments, I said, give us the military force we need. Take the acces- Most ugly in their doing so was dividing India and not super- sion and give whatever powers you want to give to the popu- vising the division taking place. This led to mass migration of lar party. The army must fly to save Srinagar this evening or Hindus from West to East and Muslims from East to West and else I will go to Lahore and negotiate terms with Jinnah. Pt vice-versa. Migration wasn't orderly. Age old communal har- Nehru said in an angry tone, 'Mahajan go away'. mony and humanity disappeared. British just drew the bound- I got up to leave when Sardar Patel held me by saying in my ary lines on the map which became such a defining moment ear, of course you are not going to Pakistan. Just then a piece for India that it neither saw the beginning of monumental of paper was passed over to Nehru. He read it and said in a moment of history and nor seeing an end yet. 20th century as loud voice, 'Sheikh Sahib also says the same thing'. (Sheikh a whole was the bloodiest century recorded in which both the had been listening to the entire heated conversation sitting in world wars were fought followed by painful , Maharaja Hari Singh with Sardar Patel the adjacent bed room). Pt Nehru thus called a meeting of mass migrations accompanied by genocides, other territorial states full freedom to choose which nation to join. That creat- the opposing armies were led by nationals of a third country. Defence Committee at 10 AM in which a decision was taken to divisions, cold war and ethnic cleansing etc to mention a few. ed problems for smooth integration of Indian Republic. Ini- British Generals commanded both armies. In India Defence send two Battalions to Srinagar. Cabinet meeting in the Legacy of division continues to influence how the peoples and tially, the ruler of J&K chose to remain independent. As a Committee was headed by Mountbatten. The complex course evening affirmed the decision. Next morning army flew to Sri- states of postcolonial South Asia envisage their past, present benevolent ruler, who swore by justice, this was perhaps the and outcome of accession can't be explained by a layman like nagar". This is the long story told shortly. State Forces had held and future. best choice in his mind under the circumstances in the best me in simple terms of political nuances. To me its military on till then and defended Srinagar for to land. J&K was the largest and one of the three 21 gun interest of his diverse subjects. This aspect seems to have been nuances look clearer. Hence I refer to Justice Mehar Chand Srinagar was saved from falling to Pakistan by a military in British India. The pronounced Silk Route passed through missed out by historians. Mahajan ahead, who had been member of Radcliffe Commis- action. But that didn't solve J&K's problem. The war contin- it. Strategically it bordered China, Tibet, Afghanistan and At the time of independence all routes and other commu- sion which divided India and was the Prime Minister of J&K ued. Indian Army and the State Forces kept fighting and push- NWFPs and nearly touched USSR. Its location was of great nication channels from Delhi to J&K were through newly during accession. Whether a military or political accession, I ing back the invaders when abruptly stopped at mid-night of interest to Western powers. Today it is to China. British were formed Pakistan. External factors therefore played a major leave it to the readers. 1st January 1949 by UN sponsored ceasefire. That left more apprehensive of expansionist Russia entering into Indian Sub- part in states accession. Major factor was state's dependence To defend his State from Pak invasion, Maharaja wrote to then 1/3rd of J&K under Pak control. Pakistan attacked again continent through Kashmir. Therefore it was of a greater polit- on Pakistan for all the supplies. Hence it was difficult for Lord Mountain for military help which was declined for want and again to grab Kashmir militarily. Her mischief continues. ical and strategic interest to them. But as per the Treaty of Maharaja to acceded to India before or on 15 August without of accession. A crucial determinant in accession was the role After abrogation of Article 370, If POJK is to come back, it Amritsar, British couldn't enter J&K. So they persuaded land access to Delhi. Hence he offered a 'Stand Still Agreement' of Mountbatten. The reasons for it were obvious. In the early won't be without a military action. The accession and final inte- Maharaja Hari Singh to lease them Gilgit Agency for 60 years to both. Pakistan readily accepted it but India didn't. While the years of twentieth century India was fighting for freedom gration of J&K looks to be a military affair through and in 1935. Though they revoked the lease just before leaving routes to J&K through Punjab were being developed to link against the British rule. What was happening in J&K is unique. through. Still historians overlook the secrets. This should put India but that didn't minimize British strategic quest to have Jammu, Pakistan attacked J&K. A force of 10,000 Razakar, The fight for freedom was different. It wasn't against the at rest the other perceptions about accession cum merger and J&K under their control. divided into two; one comprising of 6,000 attacked Kashmir British. It was against the Dogra Rule. While whole India was should spare Maharaja Hari Singh of any vilification with As per Indian Independence Act, British Paramountacy on 22 October 1947. Irony of accession started on that fateful fighting against British, Congress leaders and Kashmiris were regards to his quest for prolonging his rule by outsiders such ended on 15 August 1947 which granted the rulers of princely day. Another thing to note is that it was a war in which both fighting together against the Dogra Maharaja. On the one side as Nishchaya.