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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2019 (PAGE 4) ACCESSION ACTORS Shiban Khaibri Sheikh Abdullah preaching non-violence and amity but Sheikh Abdullah whom he had all praises for, was imprisoned when Gandhi visited .Immediately after Gandhi On October 26, at Nehru's residence, History should not become subservient to distortions, meeting the Maharaja, Prime Minister Ram Chand Kak was dismissed. the exemplary role played by Sheikh manipulations and layers of opaqueness in addition to Abdullah to shape the future of Kashmir Gopalaswami Ayyangar hiding of or bypassing important events and the role is worth mentioning. Kabaylies or He was the Prime Minister of Jammu and of various types of noted personalities. We want history Raiders supported by Pakistani regulars Kashmir for 6 years right from 1937 to 1943. He is had almost reached outskirts of Srinagar, believed to have played a notable role in the state's - correct, factual and sans distortions, history based on ready to capture the airport and Srinagar accession to the fledging union of India as he knew ascertained facts and no manipulations or any cherry when Prime Minister Meher Chand each and every nerve of the state . He was elected picking but opening up hidden and suppressed topics to Mahajan threatened Nehru to 'make it to the Constituent Assembly of India in December fast' , accept accession papers and send 1946 and was appointed to the 13 member Drafting have a broader perspective of historical events which the army coupled with giving whatever powers needed, to Sheikh Abdullah, fail- Committee that formulated the constitution of younger generations must get to know without any ifs ing which he would negotiate the terms with Jinnah as the city must be saved India .After State's accession he was Union . Angered by Mahajan's threat , Nehru asked Mahajan to "go away". Patel Minister looking after Kashmir Affairs , while and buts. With that prelude , let it be said that state's whispered in the ear of Mahajan , "Of course, you are not going to Pakistan." Nehru held the overall charge of Kashmir which accession is hard won , it is a historical festival and not Mahajan stood up to leave and in the meantime, Sheikh Abdullah who was caused ripples in his relations with Patel who overhearing the talks, sensing the gravity of the situation, sent a slip of paper should have been looking after Kashmir as well being the Home Minister, it an ordinary day which we must celebrate with devotion, to Nehru, after reading which his attitude changed completely and he called was Ayyangar who stepped into the shoes of Patel and drew nearer to Nehru. remembering splendid role played by great leaders and Mahajan back and the 'deal' clicked. This has been thrown light upon by It is he, who later, on insistence of Nehru under pressure from Sheikh our heroes of battles who fought invasion of Pakistan. Mahajan himself in a book "Looking Back" written by him. Abdullah, drafted Article 370 giving (temporary) special status to Jammu Sardar Patel and Kashmir but only on August 5 this year , that was constitutionally is a travesty that the Day of Accession is not a holiday in revoked and Article 370 rendered inoperative. Sardar Patel too played a key role in seeing that Kashmir sealed its fate Jammu and Kashmir, July 13 is instead. with the fledging Union of independ- Maqbool Sherwani ent India. He was in constant touch A dedicated activist of National Conference and Sheikh Abdullah, a 19 M.S.Golwalker with Maharaja Hari Singh as also suc- year old Mohd. Maqbool Sherwani was the one who cessive Prime Ministers of the state. At the outset, let it unequivocally be stated that forced Mohd. Ali Jinnah to stop his address in That was precisely to ensure that the those 'liberal, democratic and secular' politicians Baramulla when he spoke about two nation theory . He Ruler's decision remained in India's frustrated the advance of thousands of savages by mis- and writers who take pride in criticising the RSS favour. Much before the catastrophe leading them about the route to Srinagar thus giving day in and day out to the extent of deriding it and of the treacherous Pakistani diaboli- Indian Army valuable time to land in Srinagar. Tied to a chorusing the manufactured "link" the organisa- cal move of attacking Jammu and wooden post , pasted "I am traitor" on forehead, 15 bul- tion had in the assassination of Gandhi Ji , have Kashmir by proxy, on July 3, he wrote lets were pumped into his body by the ruthless never brought in limelight the role of RSS to the Maharaja that in joining India Kabalyees. He remains an unsung hero for the govern- Sarsanghchalak M.S. Golwalkar affectionately only, interests of Kashmir were in ment and for many people he is a "traitor". called as Guru Ji in the state's accession with safe hands, secured and protected. India. Instead, pride is taken in giving all credit to He attempted to allay Maharaja's Brig. Rajinder Singh Jawarlal Nehru for "handling" Kashmir issue when apprehensions about Congress, in A saga of valour, bravery and devotion , the first in fact, he committed Himalayan errors in the whole issue. In fact, since particular Nehru's relations with recipient of Maha Vir Chakra in independent India some events of true national history are now unfolding progressively , it is Sheikh Abdullah. However, unfortu- has earned the title of 'saviour of Kashmir' who deduced that had Nehru not interfered with it, the Kashmir issue would have nately Maharaja sent a "Stand Still fought the swarm of raiders "to the last man and been all over after Pakistan attacked it in 1947-48. Agreement" on August 12 to the union the last bullet" in unparalleled way of bravery and Sardar Patel in kashmir, November 1947, with of India in response to which Patel Following declaration of the British government's deadline of June3, 1947 Bakshi Ghulam Mohammed standing), Sheikh patriotism. Maj.Som Nath Sharma ,recipient of Abdullah and Manibehn asked him to send a representative for Param Vir Chakra , played a unique role and for the princely rulers of India to join either India or Pakistan, it had met discussions and clarifications which with an undecided option in Jammu and Kashmir which soon was felt as demonstrated superb bravery and dedication to did not happen. Curiously, Pakistan cunningly accepted it immediately after duty and defended the airport and the city of serious challenge to the freedom and the integrity of the independent India, the Maharaja sent the same to them. Sardar Patel had deputed Golwalkar to lead a political mission to Srinagar Srinagar making it operational. Many brave and patriotic souls contributed in one way or the other to meet the Maharaja and his key role played in the accession of the state Lord Mountbatten in making the day of accession with India a reality with the union of India after independence and the Maharaja getting In fact, he can be counted among the first per- sons to touch the issue of future of Jammu and historically , legally and constitutionally to whom we are inclined towards acceding to India , cannot be ignored at all. These revela- always grateful. tions have been made in details by a senior bureaucrat Arun Bhatnagar hav- Kashmir with the Maharaja on June3, 1947 imme- diately after the partition plan was made public . He ing been a close aide of Smt. Sonia Gandhi, in his book "India shedding the even visited Srinagar and camped for 3 days (June RC KAK Past, Embracing the Future 1906-2017". Bhatnagar was running her pet 19 to 23 1947). Maharaja is said to have avoided him R C Kak was the prime minister of Maharaja Hari project National Advisory Council, and also headed Prasar Bharti Board dur- as he was reportedly toeing with the idea of opting Singh's regime who had given the concept of ing UPA era. for the third choice which Mountbatten was not in Independent Kashmir keeping in view the changing Very few know that Golwalkar had reached Srinagar on Oct 17, 1947 to favour of. political scenario at that time attend a meeting which state Prime Minister Meher Chand Mahajan had arranged between the Maharaja and Golwalkar which proved not only Mahatma Gandhi Mehar Chand Mahajan effective but very successful too. The Maharaja was inclined to the signing of He paid a 4 days visit , a historical and the fist On the day Hari Singh signed the Instrument of the Instrument of Accession to India which Golwalkar reported back to and the last one to Srinagar in early August 1947. Accession with India on October 26, 1947, Mahajan Sardar Patel . However, it was only when Kashmir came under savage attack The visit was the outcome of a meeting at Birla from Pakistani irregulars fully backed by its army and the devastation and House Delhi convened by Nehru , Patel, was the Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir mayhem created by the savages that forced Hari Singh's hand to take the Mountbatten and Gandhi himself where it was appointed by Hari Singh on the request of Sardar plunge . After a period of one week only, the Maharaja actually signed the decided that Gandhi Ji would visit Srinagar and Patel in May 1947. He was also the Indian National Instrument of Accession with the Indian Union. Why such a fact about the meet the Maharaja for the "job". He stayed at Congress-appointed member of the Radcliffe accession saga of Jammu and Kashmir has not been highlighted in public Barzulla in a private house and not in the Royal Commission, which was set up to demarcate the domain is baffling, if not intriguing.