Soli Sorabjee, an Indian jurist and former Attorney General of India, had no hesitation in conceding his ignorance about certain historical facts revealed about Kashmir affairs. He was impressed by the biography “Maharaja Hari Singh : The Troubled Years” by Harbans Singh. It was released by Dr. Karan Singh on 19 September 2011 at New Delhi. The book corrected many of the impressions prevailed and demolished the myths about the Maharaja and his Princely State, Jammu and Kashmir. After seven long years, one may have the same feeling about the events taking place in J & K between 1949 and 1967 on 9 March 2018, when the second book in the series, “Karan Singh : Jammu & Kashmir (1949-1947)” by the same author is being launched. Amod Vardhan of Brihspati Publications is yet to bring out a third book in the series revealing secrets of why the Congress, which had majority in the Assembly, handed over absolute power to Sheikh Abdullah? Yuvraj Dr. Karan Singh acted as the Regent of Maharaja when Hari Singh was forced to go in exile by none other than Sardar Patel in 1949 against his will! The Sardar wanted the Maharaja to keep away from his State “for some time on health ground” a temporary arrangement but the Maharaja could never return alive to his State, though he never abdicated himself as the Ruler. Sadly, only his Asthikalash could return to Jammu after his death in 1961.
Unlike popular perception, both Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his Deputy, Sardar Patel, acted as “a team” while dealing with Kashmir affairs. Maharaja Hari Singh was made to go in exile as convinced by Sardar Patel. Harbans Singh states in the biography of Yuvraj Karan Singh: “Events after that dinner at Sardar Patel’s home had moved rapidly and it is obvious that they had been carefully choreographed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel. Apart from Sardar Patel convincing Maharaja Hari Singh of the need to make the sacrifice, both the statesmen had worked upon the young Yuvraj.” The Maharaja felt, he had been betrayed. Since March 1949, the relationship between the Maharaja and Sheikh Abdullah had grown bitter. During these circumstances, Sardar Patel had invited Maharaja Hari Singh, his wife Maharani Tara Devi, and the young Yuvraj Karan Singh. The three checked into Maidens in Old Delhi but soon shifted to the Imperial Hotel. They were invited to lunch at Teen Murti House by Prime Minister Nehru. It was formal and little uncomfortable lunch. A few days later, on 29 April 1949, Sardar Patel invited the three of them for dinner. Sardar gave the biggest shock to the Maharaja after dinner. He advised him to go in exile and the Yuvraj was to be made the Regent. Maharaja put “utmost trust” in Sardar Patel and had thought that his interests were safe as long as Patel was in Delhi. “Alas! He had been betrayed.”
The J & K accession to India was finalized on 27 October 1947 when the Governor General, Lord Mountbatten, gave assent to the Maharaja’s communication dated 26 October 1947 to accede to Indian Union. Before that the State was invaded by the Pakistani raiders on 22 October 1947.The Maharaja sought Indian assistance. He wrote about the October 1947 events: “The State, by now, was in danger of being overrun. I had made that desperate last bid to secure men, arms and ammunition from the Government of India. R. L. Batra, my Deputy Prime Minister flew to New Delhi with the
request. He met, both Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel but both were not interested in reading the
Instrument of Accession unless the administrative power was transferred to, who else but, Sheikh Abdullah. That was the evening of October 24.” Harbans Singh records the events following India’s Kashmir issue of Accession being referred to the Security Council. He notes: “Forced to choose between the Maharaja and Sheikh Abdullah, Sardar Patel had opted for the latter even at the risk of being accused by future historians of betraying the person under whose signature India had the authority to send the army to push back the invaders.”
After taking over the administration, Sheikh Abdullah was systematically destroying the Maharaja’s reputation by tarnishing his secular credentials, as well as spreading canards about his commitment to the well-being of the people. “Nehru and Patel had no option but to keep him (Abdullah) in good humour.” Harbans Singh even referred Hari Singh’s letter to Sardar Patel dated 30 January 1948 expressing his exasperation and intent, that he was seriously contemplating withdrawing the Accession. He was unhappy because of the extremely slow progress made by the Indian army in getting the territories back from the invader. In fact, he was agonized by the thought that even greater chunks of territory had fallen into aggressor’s hands after accession to India and arrival of the Indian Army.
The biographer of Dr. Karan Singh seems little generous towards All Jammu and Kashmir Rajya Hindu Sabha and its leader, Prem Nath Dogra, the first RSS Sanghchalak. During the critical period of 1947, the Hindu Sabha decided to support any decision taken by the Maharaja regarding the Accession. In November 1947, the Hindu Sabha decided to re-organise itself as a political outfit and the Praja Parishad was born. It launched democratic protest also. Though Harbans Singh writes about the Praja Parishad headed by Prem Nath Dogra advocating “full and unconditional accession of the State of Jammu and Kashmir”, Balraj Puri in his book “Kashmir: Insurgency and After” makes the stand of Hindu Sabha explicit : “The Maharaja was in no mood to join the Indian dominion even when Partition became inevitable,. He was supported by loyal Hindu leaders in Jammu who vociferously argued that a Hindu State, as Jammu and Kashmir claimed to be, should not merge its identity with a secular India. The working committee of the All Jammu and Kashmir Rajya Hindu Sabha (the earlier incarnation of the present Bharatiya Janata Party in the state) formally adopted a resolution in May 1947 reiterating its faith in the Maharaja and extended its ‘support to whatever he was doing or might do on the issue of Accession.” Harbans Singh throws light on the mischievous design of Sheikh Abdullah to have independent Kashmir and his efforts to garner foreign support before his dismissal by Dr. Karan Singh. Even Article 370 of Indian Constitution is also being discussed. One would definitely look for the third and last book in the series by him which would analyze the separatist movement and terrorist attacks in J & K.
Next Column: Culprits of Partition as identified by Dr. Lohia
(The writer is a Socio-political Historian. E-mail: [email protected] )
