Curious Case of Junagadh

“At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. This was a moment that which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to new, when an age ends, and when soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance…”   Tryst with destiny

 

The speech, rich in emotion and rhetoric has been widely quoted since that night and continues to remain one of the most touchy ones till date.

Currently I’m reading Ramachandra Guha‘s “India after Gandhi – The History of the World’s Largest Democracy“. I must admit, this is so interesting a read that I wanted to write few excerpts from the book pertaining to the drama that followed after Independence in relation with the making India as one dominion.

Many accounts have been written on what happened just before and after 15th August, 1947. But very few book account the details how India who, in pre British Raj, was an amalgamation of some 550 princely state came together as ONE. Many historians, academicians  and political theorist had one question in mind, ” Even if India wins freedom, how long will they able to sustain it?” and “Will the disintegration of India shall stop with Indo-Pak division?” These questions have troubled many of them as and when India and the Indians continued to believe in the ideals of democracy. For the India stood for exception to their rules. The book deals in detail about the incident that followed independence day. The efforts of iron man of India, Sardar Patel, and V P Menon in bringing some 564 princely states under one banner is exemplary.

Particular references have been made for states such as Travancore, Bhopal, Junagadh and Hyderabad and a separate chapter on Kashmir.

However theres is something special about Junagadh (which in my opinion is responsible to some extent to the crisis in Kashmir).

Curious Case of Junagadh

(The writing that follows is my interpretation of the story of Junagadh from the book, Read it at your own Risk 😉 )

Junagadh, one of the few states  that had not signed up by 15th August, had a muslim nawab ruling over mainly hindu populace. So according to Mohammed Ali Jinnah’s “Two Nation Theory”, Junagadh having 82% of hindu population had to accede to Indian dominion. However the Nawab of Junagadh advised by its minister announced accession to Pakistan. Pakistan pondered over this issue for few weeks then finally assented to the accession. [This be known that while C P Ramaswamy, the then Dewan of Travancore, had declared Independence of Travancore, Jinnah had welcomed it.]

 “It seems to have done this in the belief that it could then use Junagadh as a bargaining counter to secure Jammu and Kashmir. That state too had not acceded to either dominion by 15th August. It had Hindu Maharaja and a majority Muslim population: in structural terms, It was Junagadh in Reverse.”

The accession to Pakistan had enraged Indian leaders. Within few weeks of accession to Pakistan people of Junagadh revolted against nawab. He fled to Karachi and left Junagadh in the hands of his ministers. Sir Shah Nawaz the then Dewan of Junagadh wrote to Muhammad Ali Jinnah that, after immediate accession a number of congratulations poured in, but when situation is grim, Pakistan and muslim brethren are indifferent and cold. Muslim of Kathiawar had lost all their enthusiasm for Pakistan. Finally after long drama, Sir Shah Nawaz handed over the administration to Indian Government.

While all this was happening, Indian delegation met Jinnah on junagadh issue. Jinnah’s response was that the matter of accession is of Nawab that holds a plebiscite or public opinion is inconsequential.

While Nehru always wanted Kashmir to be part of India, Patel was at one time inclined to allow the state to join Pakistan. His mind changed on September 13, the day the Pakistan Govt. accepted the accession of Junagadh. For “if Jinnah could take hold of a Hindu-majority state with muslim ruler, why should the Sardar not be interested in a Muslim majority state with a hindu Ruler”

What followed is known to all…

 

Wikileak and India

Morning dawns,  i feel bad about not having written any post since last three days. Tags as WordPress claims are the best way to get connected with the particular sets of item you want to read. I glance upon ‘News’ tag to find out what bloggers are writing about, and which is supposedly not available on the ever pervasive Print & TV media.

Image via Wikipedia

And I stumbled to a post summary featuring India and Wiki-leaks in it. Since the day wikileak came up with its secret cable display and the warnings that followed by US to India as to anything might come up which may sour its  GOOD-Going relationship of the World’s oldest democracy with the World’s Largest democracy. I got a bit interested anticipating what this blog post might contain. Equally interesting was the mention of Kashmir. So i decide to take a plunge into the blog named Lorinov’s Blog. Few things that is mentioned in relation to India and the atrocities that are being committed on Indian citizen in Kashmir.

 

 

 

I have a few point to put forth regarding this.

“Seems our “friend” India is NOT as friendly as DC would have us believe”

I have an uneasy feeling about the use of word friend here.  At this time when the entire so-called big powers of the world are coping to get out of the web of recessionary effects, Two of the Asian countries, India and China are growing with envious  growth rate. Every one in the world is looking eastward. And at this juncture befriending India or China is the best  in the long run for any country including India and china itself. The relationship is of mutual benefit. No country has nothing to Loose, It’s win-win game.

The leaks about Kashmir is just a small piece of Larger picture. I neither accept nor deny what is being said about Kashmir and the inhumane treatment to Indian Citizen over there.  The ground situation in Kashmir is very volatile , thanks to our neighbour and their patrons. The world has seen and heard the voice  behind the terrorist attack on Mumbai on 26/11 . In Kashmir, those ‘voices’ play a different game. Instead of directly using guns and grenades, ‘Voices’ try to instigate our people and whatever followed was very much unfortunate.

“Now, please recall that INDIA likes to pride itself on being the world’s biggest “democracy”! I guess giving people electric shocks, sexually humiliating them, and torturing them is India’s idea of “democracy.” “

However I have no intention to demean any country or whatsoever but if India’s idea of democracy is akin to giving its people shocks etc then what about Guantanamo Bay , do read FBIs copy about this incident.  Should not it be compared to the regimes of the esteemed figures like Pol Pot, Stalin, Mao, and Hitler! I guess US too missed those history lessons, no?

India is home to many different religions which co-exist together. And when there is so much diversity some instances of tension may arise. But the way people behaved with calm and maturity while Ayodhya decisions were being aired, is highly commendable. This shows that the people of India have understood how political parties have used the common people to meet their ends. Even the speech by some politicians trying to gain publicity following the decisions met with very sharp responses from around the country.

Rahul and Sonia Gandhi

Wikileaks also came up with something what Rahul Gandhi said about Home grown terror. However,  terror in any form is detrimental to the growth of a nation  and it becomes extremely difficult when your own people turn against you. The case in point being naxalite problem which has crippled many a state .  The problem can only be solved with  development reaching out to far-flung areas and promoting literacy .

Ways and means need to be devised to tackle the home grown terror. Illiteracy and unemployment has to be taken care of and the rest shall follow.

P.S: the later issues shall be taken up in detail in next post.