The First National Conference Government in Jammu and Kashmir, 1948-53
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE FIRST NATIONAL CONFERENCE GOVERNMENT IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR, 1948-53 THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF Doctor of Philosophy IN HISTORY BY SAFEER AHMAD BHAT Maulana Azad Library, Aligarh Muslim University UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF PROF. ISHRAT ALAM CENTRE OF ADVANCED STUDY DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY ALIGARH (INDIA) 2019 CANDIDATE’S DECLARATION I, Safeer Ahmad Bhat, Centre of Advanced Study, Department of History, certify that the work embodied in this Ph.D. thesis is my own bonafide work carried out by me under the supervision of Prof. Ishrat Alam at Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. The matter embodied in this Ph.D. thesis has not been submitted for the award of any other degree. I declare that I have faithfully acknowledged, given credit to and referred to the researchers wherever their works have been cited in the text and the body of the thesis. I further certify that I have not willfully lifted up some other’s work, para, text, data, result, etc. reported in the journals, books, magazines, reports, dissertations, theses, etc., or available at web-sites and included them in this Ph.D. thesis and cited as my own work. The manuscript has been subjected to plagiarism check by Urkund software. Date: ………………… (Signature of the candidate) (Name of the candidate) Certificate from the Supervisor Maulana Azad Library, Aligarh Muslim University This is to certify that the above statement made by the candidate is correct to the best of my knowledge. Prof. Ishrat Alam Professor, CAS, Department of History, AMU (Signature of the Chairman of the Department with seal) COURSE/COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION/PRE- SUBMISSION SEMINAR COMPLETION CERTIFICATE This is to certify that Mr. Safeer Ahmad Bhat, Centre of Advanced Study, Department of History, has satisfactorily completed the course work/comprehensive examination and pre-submission seminar requirement which is part of his Ph.D. programme. Maulana Azad Library, Aligarh Muslim University Date:……………… Signature of the Chairman of the Department COPYRIGHT TRANSFER CERTIFICATE Title of the Thesis: “The First National Conference Government in Jammu and Kashmir, 1948-53” Candidate’s Name: Safeer Ahmad Bhat Copyright Transfer The undersigned hereby assigns to the Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, copyright that may exist in and for the above thesis submitted for the award of Ph.D. degree. Signature of the candidate Maulana Azad Library, Aligarh Muslim University However, the author may reproduce or authorize others to reproduce material extracted verbatim from the thesis or derivative of the thesis for author’s personal use provided that the source and the University’s copyright are indicated. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS All the praises and thanks are to Almighty Allah whose countless blessings and grace gave me the strength and fortitude to complete the thesis. I express my heartfelt gratitude to my supervisor Prof. Ishrat Alam whose consistent guidance, generous cooperation, encouragement and support made it possible for me to accomplish the present study. His critical analysis and meticulous review of the numerous drafts has immensely benefitted me. I am thankful to the eminent historian Irfan Habib (Prof. Emeritus) for introducing me to a theme of my interest. This made the research exciting and less boring. I am also thankful to Prof. Syed Ali Nadeem Rezavi, Chairman CAS Department of History for his support. I am extremely grateful to Prof. Bashir Ahmad Rather and Prof. A. R. Najar for sanctioning generous leaves in my favour which allowed me to complete the Study uninterruptedly. I acknowledge their support and encouragement. I am thankful to Dr Altaf Hussain Para for his valuable suggestions. I owe a lot to my teachers who shaped my understanding and worldview. I am indebted to Maulana Shan-i-Alam, Shabir sir, Zahoor sir and Younis sir for guiding me. Maqbool sir deserves my special thanks for his guidance and counselling at different stages of my academic career. In conducting the research for this Study I have benefitted from a number of institutions and libraries. I take this opportunity to express my gratitude for the assistance provided by the staff of the Seminary Library, Department of History (Aligarh Muslim University), Maulana Azad Library (A. M. U), Allama Iqbal Library, University of Kashmir (Srinagar), Jammu and Kashmir State Archives (Srinagar Repository), Jammu and Kashmir Information Department (Srinagar), ResearchMaulana and Publications Azad Library, Department Aligarh (Srinagar), Muslim National University Archives of India (New Delhi) and Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (New Delhi). I am particularly indebted to Shaheena, Shagufta and Mudassira madam of the Archives Repository Srinagar and Zahoor Ahmad of the Information Department who went far beyond their duties in assisting me. I am thankful to the University Grants Commission for its financial support in the initial stages of the work. I offer sincere thanks to my friends, seniors and colleagues who helped me in various stages of the Study and from whose intellectual discussions I have immensely benefitted. I am thankful to Sahib Khwaja, Firdaus Hameed Parey, Naseer Ahmad i Mir, Mir Haseeb Abdullah, Suhail R. Lone, Javid Ahmad Ahanger, Bilal Farooq, Sameer Ahmad Bhat, Dilawar Nabi, Basharat Hassan, Ishfaq Abdullah, Ishfaq Shafi, Javid Ahmad Bhat, Lone Zahoor, Umar Ahmad Khanday, Rather Adil, Hafiz Ashraf Wagay, Dr Firdaus Ahmad, Bilkeesa Akhter, Iftikhar A. Pall, Shahid, Mudasir, Shameem, Arshid Hussain, Sheeraz Ahmad, Adil Farooq, Hilal and Muzzammil Rasool. My thanks to Imtiyaz Ahmad Dar who not only entertained me with his humour but was also generous in providing me accommodation throughout these years at the University of Kashmir. I am specially thankful to Muzafar Ahmad Dar of JNU for his unstinting support and friendship and for helping me with his critical review of the drafts. The thesis would not have seen the light of the day but for the unflinching and unwavering support of my family. I am short of words to express my heartfelt gratitude and debt to my parents, Ghulam Mohammad Bhat and Sayeeda Banoo whose guidance, care, love and supplications groomed me and always acted as a source of inspiration. They endured hardships and sufferings but encouraged me to achieve excellence. The work is a tribute to their sacrifices and encouragement. I am fortunate in having a very loving and supporting family. Right from the beginning everyone was very much interested in the Study and supported me throughout the years. I am very grateful to my family members-Showkat Ahmad, Dildar Ahmad, Shagufta and Shaheena for their encouragement. Aabid Hussain read a large portion of the thesis and gave me some valuable suggestions. Azhar Dawood’s expectations have been pushing me forward. I earnestly hope that this Study will inspire Aabid and Azhar to strive for excellence. Hadiya and Taqwa with their angelic appearances have always lifted my mood. I also owe my debt to my extended family- Mohammad IqbalMaulana Mir, Shafiqa Azad Banoo, Library, Tajamul, Aligarh Qurat -Muslimul-Ain and University Bisma who have given me immense respect and love. My better half, Kehkashan Iqbal has been a constant source of emotional and intellectual support. She has spent sleepless nights while painstakingly reviewing the thesis and benefitting me with her intellectual critique. Above all, she provided words of comfort and encouragement at seemingly hopeless moments and believed in my ability to overcome the adversity. She deserves my earnest thanks. Safeer Ahmad Bhat ii DEDICATED TO MY ABBU AND AMMI WHO ENDURED ADVERSITY BUT GAVE ME THE BEST THEY COULD ABSTRACT The thesis is an attempt to study the functioning of the first National Conference Government in Jammu and Kashmir from 1948 to 1953. It critically analyses the socio-economic and political policies of the Government and their impact in shaping the developments in the State and outside. How the Government conducted its relations with the Union Government and its endeavours to preserve the internal autonomy of the State has been examined. The Government’s attempts at hegemonising the masses with the dual purpose of legitimising itself and creating popular support in favour of accession to India has been discussed. How far the Government safeguarded the democratic rights of the people and tolerated the dissent has been studied. An endeavour has been made to study the evolution and strengthening of the opposition in the State with special reference to Praja Parishad agitation which was instrumental in effecting a change in Sheikh Abdullah’s attitude towards India. The different facets of the dismissal and arrest of Sheikh Abdullah including the involvement of Jawaharlal Nehru have been analysed. It has been argued that the creation of the Jammu and Kashmir State by virtue of the Treaty of Amritsar and the policies pursued by the Dogra State directly influenced the post-1947 developments in the State. The forced merger of the three regions of the State with diverse geographical, economic, cultural and political identities proved inimical as the divergences made implementation of a uniform State policy bereft with difficulties. The Dogra rulers followed a policy of regional discrimination as they considered Jammu their homeland and Kashmir as the purchased property. Further, a preferential treatment was given to the Hindus in general and Dogra Hindus in particular. Muslims, particularly from the Kashmir valley were marginalised and despite their numerical majority were neglected in the power-sharing arrangements of the Dogra State which also excluded them from its tools of legitimacy. In the given context the most serious and organised reaction against the State came from the Valley of Kashmir in the form of Muslim Conference which was later converted to National Conference. The study focuses on the different facets of National Conference politics and its mobilisation techniques with special reference to Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. It has been held that the Conversion and the consequent implanting of nationalist politics in the State divided the Muslim community and I resulted in political upheavals in 1947.