13. Fulfillment of Struggle for Independence India became independent but the The rulers gave good response to his struggle for independence was not yet appeal. All the princely states merged over. There were many princely states in into India, except the state of Junagad, India. These princely states had the right Hyderabad and Kashmir. Sardar Patel to either merge with India or remain took a firm stand and solved the issue of independent. Therefore the Congress dream merger of princely states. of undivided India remained incomplete. Merging of Junagad : Junagad was Due to independent princely states, India a princely state in Saurashtra. The people was going to be fragmented into many there wanted to be merged with India. But parts. The Portuguese and French powers the Nawab of Junagad was thinking of had not withdrawn their control over some joining Pakistan. The people strongly parts of India, but the country solved these opposed his decision and the Nawab left problems very firmly. This chapter will for Pakistan. Later in February 1948, deal with the information on it. Junagad got merged into India. Integration of princely states in Hyderabad Mukti Sangram : India : There were more than six hundred Hyderabad was the largest princely state small and big in India. It included Telegu, Kannada and princely states in Marathi speaking regions. There was the India. Due to the autocratic rule of the influence of non-co- Nizam over these operation movement, provinces. There was there was beginning absence of civil and of political political rights. To awakening among secure these rights, the princely states. the people formed Praja Mandals came organisations such as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to be formed in the Andhra Parishad in princely states. Praja the Telangana region, Mandal means people’s organisation that Maharashtra Parishad Swami Ramananda Tirth worked for the interest of the people in in the Marathwada the princely states and for securing region, Karnataka Parishad in the political rights for them. In 1927, such Karnataka region. In 1938, Swami Praja Mandals came together and formed Ramananda Tirth formed the Hyderabad an ‘All India States People’s Conference’. State Congress. The Nizam banned this Due to it, the movement in princely states organisation. A struggle began for getting got an impetus. After the independence of recognition to Hyderabad State Congress India the then Home Minister Sardar and democratic rights. This struggle was Vallabhbhai Patel very diplomatically led by a militant fighter Swami Ramananda found out the way of merging the princely Tirth. He was assisted by Narayan Reddy states in India. He took the rulers of the and Siraj-ul-Hasan Tirmiji. P.V.Narsimha princely states into confidence and Rao and Govindbhai Shroff were the prepared an ‘Instrument of Accession’, faithful followers of Swamiji. acceptable to all. In July 1947, Hyderabad State Sardar Patel convinced the princely Congress passed a resolution for merger rulers the benefit of merging into India. of Hyderabad state into India. The Nizam however took an anti-India stand. of Hyderabad. Marathwada was not He started making movements for included in Free India on 15 August 1947. merging of Hyderabad state with Pakistan. After the inspiring struggle of the people, To reject the demand of people of this region was included in independent Hyderabad to be merged with India, India in 1948. Kasim Rizvi, an associate of the Nizam, Problem of Kashmir : Hari Singh, formed an organisation known as the ruler of State of Kashmir, had decided ‘Razakar’. Kasim Rizvi and his associates to remain independent. Pakistan had not only oppressed the hindus but also the intended to secure the merger of Kashmir muslims who supported the democratic with Pakistan. Due to this Pakistan started movement. Due to it, there was putting pressure on Hari Singh. At the inflammation of public opinion. The instigation of Pakistan, armed intruders Government of India tried to negotiate attacked Kashmir in October 1947. At patiently with the Nizam but he refused that time Hari Singh signed the ‘Instrument to respond. At last, the Indian government of Accession’ with India. In this manner, started the police action against the after merging into India, Indian army was Nizam on 13 September 1948. It was sent for the defense of Kashmir. The symbolically named as ‘Operation Polo’. Finally, the Nizam surrendered on 17 army won back a major portion of September 1948 and the state of Hyderabad Kashmir from the possession of intruders. was merged within India. The struggle of But some part of it remained in the people in the princely state became possession of Pakistan. successful. There was significant Merger of French Colonies : Even contribution of Arya Samaj in this after the independence of India, the regions movement. of Chandranagar, Puduchcheri, Karaikal, Contribution of Marathwada in the Mahe and Yanam were in the possession struggle for liberation of Hyderabad : of the French. The Indian natives there, In this struggle Swami Ramananda Tirth, were eager to get merged with India. The Govindbhai Shroff, Anant Bhalerao, Indian Government demanded that these Ashatai Waghmare etc. made a valuable territories being a part of India should be contribution. handed over to it. Through the movement of ‘Vande In 1949 France held a plebiscite in Mataram’, students participated in the Chandranagar. The people voted for India. struggle for liberation of Hyderabad. Chandranagar was handed over to India. Similarly, in this struggle Ved Prakash, Thereafter France handed over the rest of Shyamlal, Govind Pansare, Bahirji Shinde, the territories to the Government of India. Shridhar Vartak, Janardan Mama, Shoaib Struggle for liberation of Goa : Ullah Khan etc. embraced martyrdom. Portugal denied to hand over the territories Their sacrifice proved to be inspirational under its possession to India. Indians had to the Indians. Thus we can understand to struggle for securing these territories. that the leaders and the people in In this struggle, Dr.T.B.Kunha was in the Marathwada had a lion’s share in the forefront. He worked to bring about an struggle for liberation of Hyderabad. awakening of the people against the 17 September is celebrated as Portuguese Government. With the objective ‘Marathwada Mukti Din’ in Marathwada of building struggle against the Portuguese, to commemorate the struggle for liberation he established the Goa Congress Committee. Later Nanasaheb Kajrekar and others took part in 1945, Dr. Kunha in this attack. In 1954, Goa Mukti Samiti founded the was formed. The Samiti sent many organisation ‘Goa batches of satyagrahis from Maharashtra Youth League’ in to Goa. N.G.Gore, Senapati Bapat, Peter Alvares, Mahadevshastri Joshi and his Mumbai. In 1946, wife Sudhatai and many others participated he went to Goa and violated the ban on in the satyagraha. Mohan Ranade was an public speech. For aggressive leader in this struggle for this he was liberation of Goa. The Portuguese rulers Dr. T. B. Kunha committed unlimited tyranny and atrocities sentenced to eight years of imprisonment. In 1946, Dr. Ram on the satygrahis. Due to this the public Manohar Lohiya started a Satyagraha for opinion became more infuriated. liberation of Goa. Violating the ban, he The struggle for liberation of Goa took up a fierce form. The Indian Government delivered a public speech at Madgaon in was patiently holding negotiations with the Goa. For this the Portuguese Government Portuguese Government but they did not deported him. respond. At the end, the Indian Government During the same period, the ‘Azad unwillingly took the decision of using Gomantak Dal’ was founded to liberate military force. In December 1961, the Portuguese colonies of Dadra and Nagar Indian Army entered Goa. In a short Haveli in Gujarat. On 2 August 1954, period of time, the Portuguese army youths of Azad Gomantak Dal by making surrendered. On 19 December 1961, Goa an armed attack liberated the territories was liberated from Portuguese dominion. of Dadra and Nagar Haveli from Imperialism was completely rooted out Portuguese rule. Vishwanath Lavande, from the Indian soil. India’s freedom Rajabhau Wakankar, Sudhir Phadke, struggle was truly fulfilled. .