Major events Before after J&K's accession

 

Maharaja Hari Singh was the last ruling princely Jammu and Kashmir amongst other princely states of India. here was bom on 23 September, 1895, at Jammu, and was the only surviving son of General Raja Sir Amar Singh who was the brother of Maharaja Pratap Singh, the then Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir After the death of his uncle, Maharaja Pratap Singh, in 1925, Maharaja Hari Singh ascended the throne of Jammu and Kashmir.

In 1931, when Maharaja Hari Singh was the sovereign ruler of the Jammu and Kashmir, which included Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad- Mirpur, Aksai Chin and the Saksham Valley, the British wanted him to lease them the Gilgit agency. The Maharaja was reluctant. He was a rare Hindu king who ruled over his predominantly Muslim subjects. The British decided to turn a few screws. A rabble- rouser Ahmadi, from Peshawar, Abdul Qadir, was brought into Srinagar by the British intelligence agency in the garb of a cook for the local British resident. Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, then a recent product from the Aligarh Muslim University and politically active and ambitious, was also roped in. A public meeting was organised at the Shah-e-Hamdan, Khanqah Mohalla. There, Abdul Qadir, the rabble- rouser, delivered a fiery speech. He quoted liberally from the Quran to incite the Muslims against the Maharaja. Spewing communal venom and inflaming passion, he asserted that the book forbade Muslims to subject themselves to an infidel Hindu ruler. He also incited them to cow slaughter, which was forbidden under the law. Qadir was ordered to be arrested for sedition. His arrest was resisted Later, his trial too was sought to be disrupted repeatedly. It was then decided to hold his trial in the jail premises itself.

This is how GS Raghavan, former editor of some leading dailies like Hindustan Times, The Nation, and The Sunday Times described the instances of July 13, 1931, now known as " Martyrs' day in Jammu and Kashmir", in his book "The Warning From Kashmir"

The hearing in jail fell on 13th July. On that day, a mob stormed the jail and demanded admittance along with the Sessions Judge. The crowd stoned the policemen and some prisoners were made to flee. A section of the recalcitrant's proceeded towards MaharajGanj, a business locality mostly belonging. to Hindus and loot over an extensive area followed. From Bhori Kadal to Alikadal a long stretch, Hindu shops were raided. Other localities such as Safakadal, Ganji Khud and Nawakadal too formed the centres of loot. Market streets were littered with property, books of accounts were burnt, and the Hindu shopkeepers were molested. In short, pandemonium prevailed" A myth is sought to be propagated that it was at "democratic" uprising, to uproot the prevailing "feudal" order. None whatsoever. It was an Islamist rebellion against the Hindu king. Sheikh Abdullah too was found complicit in the uprising. He was arrested, tried, convicted and sent to prison. This day of 13th July was subsequently declared as "Martyrs' day". But the situation is otherwise. (It is only a glimpse of that event mentioned here in this article, when an elaborate account of this day of carnage will be given by this author in a separate article).

In 1947, after India became independent, Jammu and Kashmir had the option to join either India or Pakistan or to remain independent. It is said that Maharaja Han Singh, originally, had an inclination to maintain his independence by playing off India and Pakistan. Jammu and Kashmir was a Muslim majority state, the raiders from the neighbouring northwest frontier, subsequently known as "Qabalies", duly supported by newly created Pakistan, invaded Jammu and Kashmir under the impression that Maharaja Hari Singh would accede to India. Maharaja Hari Singh appealed to India for help for sending troops to fight these tribal invaders. Maharaja Hari Singh was advised to accede to India by the Government of India before India could send its troops. Hence, considering the emergency situation, the Maharaja signed the Instrument of Accession to the Dominion of India on 26 of October, 1947. By executing this Instrument of Accession under the provisions of the Indian Independence Act 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh agreed to accede to the Dominion of India. In return the Indian armed forces were airlifted to Kashmir, by the. Government of India, to fight back the Pakistan- supported raiders. While the Indian army had made successful advances in throwing the raiders back, a cease-fire was declared at the asking of Pt. Jawaharlal, the then Prime Minister of India. As per this cease-fire the western and northern districts, presently known as Azad Kashmir and Gilgit- Baltistan passed to the control of Pakistan. The rest of the area came under the control of India, which is presently the Indian-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir, now the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh.

Maharaja Hari Sinh, in his accession offer to the then Governor General of India, Lord Mountbatten, wrote: "I may also inform your Excellency's Government that it is my intention to set up an interim Government and ask Sheikh Abdullah to carry the responsibilities in this emergency with my Prime Minister." Lord Mountbatten accepted the accession after a meeting of the Defense Committee on 26 October 1947. In accepting the accession unconditionally he wrote, among other points, that "My Government and I note with satisfaction that your Highness has decided to invite Sheikh Abdullah to form an Interim Government to work with your Prime Minister." The support of Mahatma Gandhi and Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, was a key factor in getting Sheikh Abdullah appointed as the Head of the emergency administration by the Maharaja. He raised a force of local Kashmiri volunteers to patrol Srinagar and take control of administration after the flight of the Maharaja along with his family and Prime Minister Mehar Chand Mahajan to Jammu, even before the Indian troops had landed. Sheikh Abdullah was then appointed as Prime Minister of the Jammu & Kashmir State as the post of Chief of Administration was subsequently abolished in March, 1948. This happened with the constant intervention from Jawaharlal Nehru to Maharaja Hari Singh that Sheikh Abdullah should be made the Prime Minister and power of administration transferred to him fully. Due to the invasion of raiders the Maharaja had to run away from Kashmir, when he was forced to remove his own Prime Minister and hand over the reins of administration to Sheikh Abdullah fully. Sheikh Abdullah continued to be the Prime Minister till 8 August, 1953. He was dismissed as Prime Minister and arrested on 9th of August, 1953, and Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad was appointed as the Prime Minister of J & K State. Subsequently a case was lodged against Sheikh Abdullah and others known as the "Kashmir Conspiracy Case".

The other Prime Ministers of the Jammu and Kashmir state between January, 1927 to March 1948, who worked with Maharaja Hari Singh are:

Sir Albion Banerjee, 1927-1929, G.E.C. Wakefield, 1929-1931, Hari Kishen Koul, 1931-1932, Elliot James Dowel Colvin, 1932-1936, Sir Barjor J. Dalal, 1936-1937, Sir Gopalaswamy Ayyangar, 1937- 1943, Kailash Nath Haksar, 1943-1944, Sir Benegal Narsing Rau, 1944-1945, Ram Chander Kak, 1945- 1947, Janak Singh, Aug.1947-Oct. 1947, Mehar Chand Mahajan, Oct. 1947-March, 1948.

DISCLAIMER: 

The views expressed in the Article above are Er. P.L. Khushu personal views and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing."

Courtesy:- Er. P.L. Khushu and Koshur Samachar 2020, January