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<h2>
<font face="Book Antiqua"><font color="#000099">by Narender Sehgal</font></font></h2></center>
<font face="Book Antiqua"><font color="#000099"></font></font>&nbsp;
<blockquote>
<center>
<h1>
<font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Chapter 18<br>
</font><font color="#FF0000">Pt. Nehru Committed Blunders</font></font></h1></center>
</blockquote>

<ul>
<ul><i><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">The partition
of India was the end result of the 1200-year long continuous freedom struggle
for total independence for the entire country. During this long era of
slavery every generation had kept the flame of the struggle flame through
their matchless sacrifices and never accepted bondage even for a day. One
generation kept on handing over the strings of struggle to the other and
as such the struggle went on in different forms. But when the strings of
this struggle came in the hands of the congress, instead of handing it
ouer to the new generation it decided to end the struggle, thereby stabbing
in the back of the social self-respect, and the national goal of total
independence for the entire country.</font></font></i>
<br><i><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font></i>&nbsp;</ul>
<font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"><b><font size=+2>The</font></b>
decision of the fatigued and old Congress leaders to abandon the struggle
resulted in the partition of India. The incidents of massacre crossed their
limits and slapped the faces of those who used to say that partition could
be possible on their dead bodies. The country was divided well in front
of their eyes. The century old and the world's first nation was partitioned
because of the hunger for power and as a result of impatience of its leaders.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">In the intoxication
of the so called independence the country's leaders cauld not visualise
the plans of those anti- nationalists who'were already engaged in the conspiracies
of partitioning the already divided country. Kashmir became a victim of
such anti-national elements.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Nehru's
short-sightedness</font></font></b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">During the
time of the partition of India in 1947 all the states were given the right,
under the Indian Independence Act, to accede either to India or to Pakistan.
Giving display of his political wisdom and capacity for taking decisions,
the then Union Home Minister, Sardar Patel, succeeded in merging about
600 states with the Indian union. As a result of obstinacy and rigidity
of Hyderabad and Junagarh, Sardar Patel merged them with India through
military campaign.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">But the matter
of Jammu and Kashmir was kept by Pt. Nehru in his hands. His national outlook
and his capacity to take decisions were eclipsed by his affection for Abdullah
and his animosity with Maharaja Hari Singh and his ingrained Kashmiriyat.
This personal ego kept Kashmir away from the rest of the Indian states.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Maharaja's
indecisiveness</font></font></b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">In this hour
of crisis Maharaja of Kashmir, Hari Singh, was caught in confusion. By
acceding to India, Nehru's obduracy would not suit the Maharaja and by
joining Pakistan the future of the vast Hindu society in Jammu Kashmir
and Ladakh was to remain in the ditch of darkness. He felt the danger of
destruction and annihilation of thousands of temples and monasteries, built
by his forefathers, reserves of Sanskrit books and scriptures and bloomed
culture which are a symbol of Indianness. As a result of his farsightedness
and his innate love for united India the Maharaja turned down all the allurements
of Mr. M.A. Jinnah. The geographical position of Jammu and Kashmir too
was a cause of his problem. The highway that linked Jammu and Kashmir with
India passed through Pathankot only. The rest of the routes passed through
Pakistan. The main highways of Sialkot sand Rawalpindi were with Pakistan.
Therefore, even while being in favour of accession with India, the Maharaja
could not take the final decision.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Mountbatten:
Behind the Scene</font></font></b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Mountbatten
too played his role in maintaining the Maharaja's indecision. According
to Dr. Gourinath Rastogi, Mountbatten knew that if Jammu Kashmir was merged
with India, then the strategic Gilgit area would come out of the influence
of the Anglo-American block and the plan of carrying out a military siege
of the Soviet Union could not materialise. Contrary to this, merger of
Kashmir with Pakistan would facilitate this scheme. Mountbatten besides
being an expert Army officer was also a skilful diplomat. He succeeded,
for a long time, in preventing Maharaja Hari Singh from acceding to the
Indian union by influencing the then Prime Minister, R.C Kak through his
English wife, who further influenced the Maharaja.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Jinnah's
diplomacy</font></font></b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Those very
days Sheikh Abdullah too remained busy in playing his political tricks.
He established links with Pakistan and prevailed upon Jinnah to merge Kashmir
with Pakistan in the name of Islam. On the advice of the Prime Minister,
R.C Kak, Maharaja Hari Singh put forth a resolution favouring a Standstill
Agreemellt while keeping in view all the above mentioned compulsions. Pakistan
gave its approval to the proposal after finding it a golden opportunity
for keeping Kashmir away from India. But India did not agree Gopalaswami
Aiyer, Minister for State Affairs, reached Srinagar to discuss the issue
with the Maharaja. The Maharaja was unmoved. On the other side, Pakistan
was keen to grab Kashmir.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Jinnah formulated
a comprehensive scheme for wooing and pressurising Maharaja Hari Singh
to accede to Pakistan. He used all moral, illegal and militaly pressures
for forcing the Maharaja to accede to Pakistan. He sought permission from
the Maharaja for staying in Kashmir for a few days. He wanted to prepare
the Muslims in Kashmir for revolting against the Maharaja. Sh. Mehar Chand
Mahajan has written that as per the plans of Jinnah he wanted Kashmir.
Like the Mughal emperors, he wanted to see Kashmir as part of Pakistan
so that as Governor General af Pakistan he could enjoy the salubrious climate
of the valley. He would treat Kashmir in his pocket whether accession took
place as per the wishes of the people or by force.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Seditious
ways of R.C. Kak</font></font></b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">The then Prime
Minister, R.C. Kak, assured Jinnah of his support for his goal. Kak tried
his best to influence the Maharaja but as an Indian nationalist the Maharaja
had understood the link-up between Jinnah and Kak and he cleverly and politely
prevented Jinnah from coming to Srinagar. R.C. Kak did not like all this.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Now Pakistan
used another missile. It imposed economic blockade and closed all the routes
to Kashmir The postal and telecommunications services were disrupted. The
supply of essential commodities was stopped. Pakistan violated the Standstill
Agreement which R.C. Kak had got approved by it. The moment the veil was
lifted from the pro-Pakistan feelings of R.C Kak, the Maharaja immediately
sacked him and appointed Gen. Janak Singh as the interim Prime Minister.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Pak invasion:
Mehar Chand Mahajan as new Prime Minister</font></font></b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">When the economic
blockade failed, Pakistan took recourse to the third option. Armed Pakistani
tribals infiltrated into Kashmir. It was an open invasion of Pakistan on
India. In this highly serlous situation the Maharaja, through the help
of Sardar Patel, appointed Chief Justice of Punjab High Court, Mr. Mehar
Chand Mahajan, as the Prime Minister. But Sheikh Abdullah did not want
to see is farsighted and influential person installed as Prime Mlnister.
In this connection he established his contact with his dear friend, Pt.
Nehru. But Sardar Patel smashed all his plans.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">With the installation
of Mehar Chand Mahajan as Prime Minister, Pakistan extended its invasion
to the borders of the entire state. Besides the invasion, Pakistan kept
on pressurising the Maharaja for acceding to Pakistan. According to Mehar
Chand Mahajan, the son-in-law of a former Chief justice of Lahore High
Court, Major Shah, who was one among important secretaries of Pakistan,
was in Srinagar at that time. He was roaming in Srinagar with a whip and
sword in one hand and accession papers in his other hand. He was pressurising
Gen. Janak Singh and the deputy Prime Minister that they should prevail
upon the Maharaja to accede to Pakistan. But by then he had not succeeded.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Plan to
abduct the Maharaja</font></font></b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Pakistan continued
to indulge in pressure tactics and the Maharaja too remained steadfast
with confidence. Pakistan formulated a plan for kidnapping the Maharaja.
Mehar Chand Mahajan has given an account of this scheme in his book "The
bitter truth of Kashmir".</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">According to
him, there was a plan to abduct the Maharaja and "myself" and force "us"
to accede to Pakistan at gunpoint. "The news of our activities were being
immediately sent to Pakistani authorities. This way our programme of touring
the border had been made available to Pakistan. The police Chief of Jammu
was an agent of Pakistan". His plan was that "when we are having our meals
in the Bhimber Dak Bunglow we will be arrested." Bhimber is close to the
Pakistani border and falls on the famous Mughal route in Kashmir. The road
runs close to the border and its one side touches Pakistan. "We had decided
to go to Kathua on 20th and on 21st to Bhimber and Mirpur. Pakistanis had
planned to attack us with armoured cars on October 21. Their objective
was to destroy the Bunglow after arresting us, occupy the city, annihilate
the Hindu population and loot their property".</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">They were,
however, saved by unexpected incident, when on October 20 they reached
near Kathua and stopped at a crossing. Here one road led to Kathua and
the other to Bhimber and Akhnoor. The Maharaja ordered the jeep driver
to drive to Bhimber instead of Kathua. Mehar Chand Mahajan objected to
it on the plea that officers would be waiting for the Maharaja at Kathua
and on the wayside and when they had not sent any programme to Bhimber,
there would be no proper arrangements there. The Maharaja brushed aside
my objections and said that he was not bound by any programme and he would
hardly follow any". They went to Akhnoor and Bhimber and since it was late
they could not reach Mirpur. The Pakistani invaders were active all along
the border and it would look like a cremation ground in distant places.
The Hindus were marching for safety and the Maharaja and his Prime Minister
made some arrangement for their security. They had their lunch in the Bhimber
Dak Bunglow and after issuing instructions for security arrangements for
the city, they reached Jammu at 10 in the night. On the return journey
to Jammu, houses on either side of the roads, were aflame. The Army was
busy in restoring order and in providing assistance to the people. The
Army Chief was present at the site and whatever was possible was being
done to stop arson and massacre. And as per the earlier plan armed attack
was launched from Gujarat and Bhimber Dak Bunglow was destroyed on October
21. Had they followed the initial programme fixed by the Msharaja they
would have been burnt to death. But Maharaja's intuition had saved them
from being killed by the Pakistanis.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Brigadier
Rajinder Singh's rebuff to the invaders</font></font></b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">The Maharaja's
troops faced the powerful Pakistani invasion with courage. The Maharaja
directed his Army Chief, Brigadier Rajinder Singh, to protect the state
till his last breath. Brig. Rajinder Sirgh had, after receiving his degree
from the P.W. College, Jammu, joined the State Army as Lieutenant. His
rise was quick and with his qualities of discipline he became the Chief
of the Army Staff on August 14, 1947.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">On the unfortunate
day of October 22 he was on official duty in the cantonment in Srinagar.
He received a message that Muzaffarabad was under a major attack and the
invaders were marching towards Srinagar. For the time being even the reserve
troops were not nearby. He succeeded in organising a small group of 150
soldiers and civilians. But it was necessary to save the city and the only
way far doing this was to stop the invaders on the Baramulla road. Brigadier
Rajinder Singh decided to launch an attack from Dhumel, 112 kms from Srinagar.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">But Dhumel
was lost and the enemy troops marched ahead. The enemy took position at
Garhi, 16 kms inside the state. The enemy troops stopped the infant company
of soldiers of Rajinder Singh. Despite reverses, Rajinder Singh stood his
ground for sometime but when the invaders attempted to lay a siege on the
soldiers of Rajinder Singh, they came out of the siege and decided to return
to Baramulla.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Struggle
till the last moment</font></font></b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">This retreat
encouraged the enemy troops who reached Uri. Regrouping his troops the
Brigadier rushed to Uri. In Uri Rajinder Singh faced the full thrust of
the enemy and he performed the main task of stopping the invaders as long
as he could so that their march to Srinagar was delayed. The Brigadier
destroyed that bridge which cut the base of the enemies from the next place.
The invaders launched a three pronged attack which caused great loss to
the Brigadier. First he retreated his soldiers from Moharra and then from
Rampat (Jehlum Valley road). Here the Brigadier fought a bitter battle
with the enemy for 11 hours. But the Brigadier had to pay a heavy loss.
In the end he ordered the remaining troops to retreat. When the troops,
while fighting, were searching for defensive position, Rajinder Singh was
single-handed firing continuously to provide fire cover to the rear company.
There at that time two bullets hit him, one injuring his right arm and
the other his right leg but this did not silence his gun. Quickly the enemy
surrounded him and he was killed.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">In the "History
of Kashmir" Bamzai has written that the Brigadier and his soldier colleagues,
cooks, mess bearers and orderlies, under the orders of the Brigadier, had
taken up arms and performed great feat in the military history of the world.
These sons of their motherland of India stopped the Pakistani troops for
three days and prevented them from marching ahead.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Nehru's
obstacle in accession</font></font></b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">The RSS activists
on the basis of their intelligence had already informed the Maharaja about
the Pak plan of invasion and about the mutiny of Muslim soldiers. Expectedly
Muslim soldiers, in the Maharaja's Army, killed their commander, Col. Narain
Singh, and joined the Pakistani troops. In order to save people from the
crisis, which had gripped Jammu and Kashmir, and in the interest of the
integrity of India, the Maharaja accepted to give up his ego. He immediately
sent his Prime Minister, Justice Mehar Chand Mahajan, to Delhi with the
accession proposal, which had been signed by him. He had also requested
the Government of India for sending troops. This pertains to October 24,
1947.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">In the letter
of October 26, 1947 the Maharaja had written in clear terms to Lord Mountbatten
that the current situation and crisis in "my state has left me with the
only option of seeking help from India". He had informed Mountbatten that
so long he did not accede to India, it was natural that India could not
give him the assistance he had sought for. Therefore, he has decided to
do it and he had submitted the relevant accession papers for the approval
of his Government.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">It is a matter
of misfortune for the country and Kashmir that still Pt. Nehru's obstinacy
and personal ego created hurdles. Nehru had plainly told the Maharaja "First
handover power in Jammu and Kashmir to Sheikh Abdullah, quit Jammu and
Kashmir and go out of the state, then accession can be accepted and then
the Indian troops will reach Srinagar". The "I will not agree" note wasted
two days and there in Kashmir the Pakistani troops while carrying out destruction,
rape, arson and other crimes had reached Srinagar. Nehru's obduracy proved
heavy on the sincere suggestions of Sardar Patel, Gopalaswami Aiyangar,
Acharya Kriplani, and Mahatma Gandhi. In the end, the Maharaja agreed to
handover power to Sheikh Abdullah in the interest of the nation. On October
27, 1947 the Indian troops landed on the Srinagar airport which had been
made worthy of landing by thousands of RSS workers' round the clock hard
work. The Indian Army exhibited such a chivalry that the Pakistani soldiers
took to their heels. Sheikh Abdullah, who had fled with his family members
to a friend's house in Indore, was taken back to Srinagar under the security
of the Indian Army in a plane of the Indian Airforce. Like a bridegroom
he reached Srinagar. The Maharaja staked all he had and reached Jammu.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Nehru's
policy: punishment for nationalist and reward for anti-national</font></font></b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">This way Prime
Minister of India, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, treated his personal friendship
with a separatist, communalist and anti-national like Sheikh Abdullah above
the security and integrity of the nation. Nehru tried to insult the nationalist
Maharaja by projecting the Maharaja as too insignificant in comparison
to the Sheikh. When Mehar Chand Mahajan reached Delhi with the accession
letter, Nehru thought that if he would accept the proposal directly the
credit would go to the Maharaja. Nehru wanted that this credit too should
go to the Sheikh. It is said that at that time the Sheikh was in another
room of Nehru. It is not known as to how the Sheikh, who had fled at the
time of the invasion on Kashmir, had come to Nehru's place. When the Sheikh,
who earlier plotted with Pakistan and was a schemer, said "yes" to the
accession, Nehru accepted it. Nehru had patronised a traitor.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">"It is said
that the leader of the National Conference did not like the Maharaja. I
wish to ask whether the people of Hyderabad liked the Nizam of Hyderabad
? It is said that whatever Maharaja Hari Singh did after the partition
and prior to the accession was shocking. I would like to ask that whatever
the Nizam did through Layaq Ali and Qasim Rizvi, was that against the flames
of communalism and in favour of friendship with India ? I want the Government
of India to read its own white paper on the Nizam and say whether Hari
Singh or Nizam of Hyderabad was bad ? Despite this, the Nizam was drawing
Rs. one crore as yearly salary as head of the state. Maharaja Hari Singh
is spending his last days in Bombay. I want to ask why this discrimination
? Was it a fault of Maharaja Hari Singh that he announced Kashmir's accession
to India ? In the absence of his accession-related announcement, we have
till today no basis for treating Kashmir as part of India. The Maharaja
of Kashmir could too have been made a constitutional ruler like other Indian
princes. His presence would have been a guarantee for Kashmir's unity.
We have finished this guarantee and he has been left in the middle of feuds
and disorder." (Urdu Daily Milap, April 1952)</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">The policy
of appeasement of the Muslims by Pt. Nehru and his friends in the Congress
left Kashmir in the hands of those who had already partitioned the country.
Had the Congress leaders any love for national interest, they would have
entrusted power to Maharaja Hari Singh. But this nationalist ruler, who
brought about Jammu and Kashmir's accession to India, had to spent his
last days in Bombay as an ousted person. He had to remain away from the
soil of his land. But against this, the Muslim Nizam of Hyderabad, who,
under the instructions of Pakistan, launched an attack on the Indian troops,
was installed as head of the princely state and was given Rs. one crore
as yearly salary.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">The insult
and defeat of the Maharaja was an insult and defeat of the united nationalist
forces of India. Sheikh Abdullah's political victory and welcome was a
victory for those antinational elements who had set foot on the soil of
India in the 7th Century for converting India into Darul Islam. It can
be treated as a misfortune for the entire India and Kashmir that here the
nationalist forces have been defeated by their own people.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">The cat
out of its bag</font></font></b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Accordingto
Sh. Balraj Madhok, the mistake of entrusting the reins of the Government
not only of Kashmir but of the entire state to Sheikh Abdullah was bigger
than the mistake of keeping Jammu and Kashmir out of the jurisdiction of
Sardar Patel. This became evident from the first speech of the Sheikh in
Srinagar on the evening of October 27. Mr. Madhok had himself listened
to the speech. During his one-hour long speech the Sheikh did not, even
once, talked about the Government of India and the Indian Army on whose
shoulders he had returned to Srinagar and received the reins of the Government.
He kept on inciting people with religious sentiments and went on repeating
the Kalima. Raising his voice he had said "we have picked up the crown
of Kashmir from the dust and whether we accede to India or to Pakistan
is a secondary question, first of all we have to complete our freedom".
Just one sentence clarified his intentions. His desire was to make Kashmir
an independent sultanate and not accede to India.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">The Sheikh
picked up the crown from the dust and got engaged in ruining Kashmir. Which
was this crown ? Which was that dust ? And what dces this total independence
mean ? These questions have remained unanswered till today. This "dust"
was of Hindu Dogra rulers of Kashmir from whose head he had removed the
crown and put it on his head. And the "crown" was those Muslim sultans
whose 500-year long activities of atrocities and inhuman cruelties had
converted Kashmir to Muslim Kashmir. The meaning of total independence
lay in the Sheikh's becoming a Sultan.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Fetters
of Security Council in the feet of victorious soldiers</font></font></b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">On assuming
power, the Sheikh's treacherous and antinational feelings removed all their
curtains and presented themselves shamelessly. But there was no change
in the intentions of Nehru. The Muslim vote bank had opened its mouth in
the entire country. Pt. Nehru adopted an ostrich type attitude. Sheikh
Abdullah left no stone unturned in discouraging the Indian Army by issuing
his orders. After ensuring the seucrity of Srinagar, when the Army marched
to attack other areas of Kashmir, Mirpur, Kotli-Bhimber etc., to protect
these places, the Sheikh stopped them. Several thousand Hindus in these
areas had been mercilessly killed. When the Chief Commander of the Indian
Army, Gen. Pranjaype, informed Nehru about such activities of the Sheikh,
Pt. Nehru told him plainly "Do whatever Sheikh Sahib tells you?" The result
of this "do the same" policy was that whatever portion of Jammu and Kashmir
was with Pakistan had to remain with Pakistan. On the basis of the occupation
of this part of the state, Pakistan is ridiculing the policies of the Indian
rulers.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Nehru, who
was fond of wearing a rose and who remained drunk in his Kashmiriyat and
pro-Muslim bias, kept on striking his feet with his axe and the strikes
of this merciless and directionsless axe had kept on causing cracks in
Kashmir, the crown of mother India. When the Indian troops were marching
for liberating Pakistan occupied Kashmir, and the liberation was a metter
of a few hours, that very moment Nehru, on the direction of the Sheikh,
announced unilateral ceasefire on January 1, 1948. Feeling hurt over the
attitude of Nehru, Justice Kunwar Dilip Singh, India's Agent General in
Kashmir, resigned. Nehru did not stop there. He, without consulting Army
commanders, took the Kashmir matter, at the behest of the Sheikh, to the
United Nations' Security Council which announced that the fate of Kashmir
can be decided through a plebiscite. Nehru invited trouble without asking.
And today Pakistan, by swearing in the name of the Security council resolution,
is backing the youths in Kashmir. An instance of such a political bankruptcy
is not found anywhere in the world. It is a height of narrow vision.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">The Sheikh
wanted to settle many scores by exploiting this problem. Had the Indian
Army been allowed four-five days' time, Pakistan would have been mauled
and the entire Kashmir would have been with India thereby establishing
the supremacy ofthe Indian troops. The Sheikh did not want it. The narrow
vision of Nehru fulfilled this wish of the Sheikh. The Kashmir problem
has, thus, remained on the files of the United Nations and has become a
termite in the international politics. By taking the matter, through Nehru,
to the Security Council the Sheikh smoothened his ways.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Maharaja's
complaint to Patel</font></font></b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">The constitutional
head of the State, Maharaja Hari Singh, was highly dismayed over the anti-Hindu
activities of Sheikh Abdullah. The Sheikh had almost descended to the level
of an anti-national rebel. He was simply worried over Kashmir and its Muslims.
There was danger of an end of Hindus of Kashmir and Hindus and Muslims
of Jammu and Ladakh. According to Gourinath Rastogi, "what to speak of
India, the Sheikh was not even interested in the protection of the entire
state. His sole aim was to protect the Kashmir valley. The events of Gilgit,
Kotli, Baltistan, Mirpur, Muzaffarabad and Bhimber lend evidence to it.
Soon after the state's accession with India on October 27, 1947 the Indian
Army had reached Srinagar by air. The Indian troops had liberated the entire
valley from the occupation of Pakistani invaders within 10 days upto November
7. The troops had to march ahead to liberate the remaining areas of the
state. The Military Governor of Gilgit, Brigadier Ghansara Singh, people
of Mirpur, Bhimber, Kotli and Muzaffarabad and the Hindu leaders of the
Jammu region were imploring in front of the officers of the Indian Army,
requesting the troops to liberate these areas from the clutches of Pakistanis.
But the Indian forces were not allowed to move forward. The Army commander
of Jammu province, Brigadier Pranjaype, told Hindu leaders of Jammu the
reason behind this, saying "Nehru had given the overall command of the
Indian Army to Sheikh Abdullah and, therefore, the Army cannot move forward
without his orders".</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">While giving
information about the fundamentalist and conspiratorial attitude of Sheikh
Abdullah Maharaja Hari Singh wrote a long letter to Sardar Patel. The Maharaja
had written that even after the elapse of two months, the Indian troops
were still in Uri. The main spots of Mirpur and Kotli have been lost after
a defeat and the defeat "is a major blow for us. It has wounded the image
of the Indian soldiers. Till now the Indian troops have not captured even
a single town... In this context my position is precarious".</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">The Maharaja
wrote to Patel that he had supported the Indian Union under the belief
that the Indian Union "will not allow us to stoop". There was no purpose
of keeping the State with India if the Indian Union is not able to restore
"to us our lost territory and if it is prepared to hand us over to Pakistan
under the Security Council resolution". He even told the Sardar that he
was prepared to take the command of the Kashmiri and the Indian troops
because the country that cannot be understood by "your generals for months
and years is better known to me".</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">This letter
indicates Maharaja's pitiable and dishonourable condition. He was pained
and troubled over the plunder, destruction and defeat of his state. He
was hurt by the compulsions of the Indian Army, anti-national actions of
Sheikh Abdullah, intrigue of Muslim soldiers in Kashmir Army, unstable
policy of the Government af India and the procrastination of the Security
Council. But he was helpless. His mind was in tears on seeing his people
in difficulty.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Mehar Chand
Mahajan's communciation to Patel</font></font></b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Mehar Chand
Mahajan too wrote a letter to Sardar Patel informing him about the plight
of the Maharaja. Describing the Sheikh as a feelingless creature, he informed
Patel about his (Shiekh's) fascist misrule. He wrote in his letter that
the feelingless Sheikh, who had pledged faith in the Maharaja of Kashmir,
was now wishing to drag the Maharaja to the court and was demanding his
resignation. His new outlook is that let the Maharaja retain Jammu, Kathua
and Udhampur and handover the rest of the geographical area to Pakistan.
Now he was trying to meet the leader of the Muslim Conference Party, Ch.
Abbas, in Jail, in order to secure his approval to his proposal.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Mr. Mahajan,
in his letter, informed Patel that a situation had reached a stage when
Sheikh Abdullah was openly insulting the Maharaja and was daily giving
display to his communal bent of mind". "If you permit, I could submit comprehensive
details and material which can throw light on the administrative capacity,
communal bent of mind of Sheikh Abdullah and his open insults to the Maharaja
through the assistance of the National Guards. He has come to realise that
he can do whatever he likes. After receiving your reply I shall submit,
for your perusal, important examples on the corrupt administration of the
Sheikh and on his fascist misrule".</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">The two letters
of the Maharaja and Mehar Chand were thrown in the dustbin because of the
obduracy of Nehru. In front of Nehru, Sheikh Abdullah was the only saviour
of Kashmir and the nationalist and the rest of the nationalist Muslims
and Hindus, including the Maharaja, Mehar Chand Mahajan, Patel, Acharya
Kriplani, Shyama Prasad Mookherjee, Pandit Premnath Dogra, were all unwise.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Article
370 gives constltutional validity to separatism</font></font></b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Now Jenab Sheikh
Mohd. Abdullah got engaged in the task of giving practical shape to his
efforts for total Islamisation of Kashmir and its complete independence.
The Sheikh was the Prime Minister and not the Chief Minister of the State.
The State was governed by its own constitution and not by the Constitution
of India. The National Conference flag was the State flag and not the tricolour.
The Indians needed a permit for visiting Jammu and Kashmir. There were
several other such separatist concessions and customs which Nehru offered,
as his gift, in connection with the delight on Sheikh becoming the Sultan
of the State. But the Sheikh was not satisfied with it. There was one special
reason behind this dissatisfaction of Sheikh Abdullah despite having the
blessings from the Prime Minister of India, support of the UN Security
Council and Pakistan. He had fears that Hindus of India may come and settle
in the land of Kashyap Rishi. He had fears that the Kashmiri Muslims may
be swept by the national mainstream. He had fears that Kashmir may be recognised
on the basis of its ancient culture, Kashmir may be amalgamated like other
states in India after Pt. Nehru. Such fears would spoil his sleep. In order
to realise his dream of total independence for Kashmir, it was necessary
to keep Jammu and Kashmir away from India permanently. He needed such an
instrument through which he could protect the seed, he had sown, of separatism
in Kashmir. He again took Nehru for a ride and brought him under the clutches
of his schemes. By incorporating Article 370 in the Constitution of India,
Nehru offered him that instrument.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Article 370
of the Constitution gave constitutional validity to Abdullah's separatist
ideas and international intrigues and gave a special position to the state
of Jammu and Kashmir. It also affixed stamp on the historical fact that
the Muslim majority region cannot remain with India. The details of this
Article are given in the succeeding chapters.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">The Sheikh
started giving practical shape to all his antinational ideas and activities.
Many schemes were implemented in broad daylight which related to the recruitment
of members of the National Conference and the Peoples United Front, in
the Government services, full support to the activities of Jamait-e-Islami,
anti-India teachings in schools, secret links with Pakistsni leaders, atrocities
on Kashmiri Pandits, development of Kashmir region at the cost of Jammu
and Ladakh provinces. Pt. Nehru received information about it but he adopted
"I do not agree" policy. When there was no other alternative, the nationalists
of Jammu and Kashmir launched a powerful agitation under the leadership
of Pt. Premnath Dogra. The agitators formed Praja Parished which launched
the agitation for three years. The Sheikh broke all the records in crushing
this peoples' movement. People sacrificed, filled the jails, tolerated
atrocities from the Kashmir police but kept alive the flame ofthe struggle.
But all this did not open the eyes of Nehru.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Sheikh exposed
and Nehru slightly yielded</font></font></b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Many other
leades informed Nehru about the split personality of Sheikh Abdullah. Those
very days a member of the Indian Constituent Assembly. Sh. M.L. Chottopdhiya,
went to Kashmir for rest along with his colleague, Dr. Raghuvir. They prepared
a comprehensive report about the Sheikh after holding discussions with
representatives of people, social and religious leaders in the state and
submitted that report before a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee of
the Congress. This report carried an account of the Sheikh's scheme of
having an independent Kashmir. According to Gourinath Rastogi, the Sheikh
himself had givsn a proof of his desire for carving out an independent
Kashmir during hiis interview with two British Journalists, Michael Davidson
and Ward Price. When reports about it were published in the newspapers,
Sardar Patel summoned Sheikh Abdullah and pulled him up and the Sheikh
assured him that such a mistake will not be repeated. But in reality there
was no change in his intentions. And the intelligence officer who had reported
the matter regarding the interview was forced to Quit Kashmir. In November
1952 the defeated Democratic Party candidate, in the Presidential elections
in the United States, Steevenson, had close links with Sheikh Abdullah
and the two together were preparing the scheme for Independent Kashmir.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Prime Minister
Nehru visited Srinagar in May 1953. By chance, that time the five-day convention
of the National Conference was going on. The report about the Sheikh's
anti-India, pro-Pakistan, and separatist speeches at the convention reached
Nehru. Nehru invited top leaders of the National Conference to his place.
The Sheikh too was present. Nehruji tried to bring them on the right path
by talking about the history of India, heritage of Kashmir and the unity
of the country. Instead of accepting the guidance of Nehru, the Sheikh
tried to ridicule him. The Director of the Intelligence Bureau, Mr. G.K.
Handoo, who had accompanied Nehru to Srinagar as his security chief, and
the Union Home Minister, Mr. Kailashnath Katju, submitted several secret
documents to Nehruji. After perusing these documents Nehru told the Sheikh
"Sheikh Sahib till now I was behaving with you as Jawaharlal Nehru but
henceforth I shall be behaving with you in the capacity of a Prime Minister."
It means Nehru himself had admitted that till then all the decisions on
Kashmir were taken by Nehru in the capacity of a friend of Sheikh Abdullah
and not as Prime Minister of India.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">After this,
Nehru sent Maulana Azad to Srinagar to bring the Sheikh on the right path.
Even being unwell, Maulana came to Srinagar on the suggestion of Nehru.
Maulana tried to make the Sheikh understand things during his long meeting
with him. He had told him that the welfare of Kashmir lay in being with
India. The Muslims and their religion were safe in India. The Sheikh dubbed
a great leader like Maulana Azad as an enemy of the Muslims and a stooge
of Hindus. On returning to Delhi, Maulana Azad conveyed his experiences
to Nehru and suggested to him to dismiss the Sheikh immediately.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">A member of
the UNCIP mission, Joseph Karbel, in his report "Danger in Kashmir" has
given a correct and meaningful account about the Sheikh.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">"In May 1949
Sheikh Abdullah had assured Jawaharlal Nehru that 'I want you to believe
that Kashmir is your's. No power in the world can separate us. Every Ksshmiri
feels that he is an Indian and India is his motherland'. From time to time
he made a repeated mention about the total independence of Kashmir and
on other occasions he announced that the idea of independence was not practicable.
In 1952 he declared that 'our state is neither under the legal domination
of the Indian Parliament nor that of any Parliament from outside the state.
India or Pakistan, any country cannot be a spike in our wheel of progress'.
After some days he described Ksshmir as such a bridge between India and
Pakistan that can unite the two in one country. Two days later he said
that the relations between Pakistan and India were strong and stable and
no power on the earth can separate us. Again he made an announcement that
'Kashmir's existence does not depend on India's money, trade or security
forces snd he does not attach any importance to the strings of Indian assistance.
He cannot be forced to stoop by threats'. The fsct is that he, while raising
Kashmir, step by step, carried it far away from India. One of his political
rivals has described him as communal in Ksshmir, communist in Jammu and
a nationalist in India."</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">In the description
of Joseph, the real face of Sheikh Abdullah is magnified. He gave a display
of this character while crushing the Praja Parishad movement. By then the
movement had received support from India. Nehru too was apprised of the
dictatorial behaviour of the Sheikh and his black laws. Nehru was caught
in two minds. When Dr. Shyamaprasad Mookherjee violated these black laws
and reached the Jammu barder, he was arrested and sent to Srinagar Jail
where he died in mysterious circumstances. The entire country was rocked
by this sacrifice. When the flames of revolt against the Sheikh and the
murder of Dr. Mookherjee rose from all corners of India, it opened the
eyes of Nehru. In order to assess the situation in Kashmir Nehru reached
Srinagar. The result: Sheikh was imprisoned.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">National
character of Nehru ?</font></font></b><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">Here many questions
arise. Why was it that a leader like Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru did not know
the anti-national inclinations of the Sheikh for so many years ? If he
had known it, why he kept on tolerating disservice to the nation ? Why
did he deliberately adopt such a policy through which Kashmir has become
a permanent problem ? Did he give more importance to personal friendship
than the country ? Was he too willing to see Kashmir as an independent
state ?</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">The then Deputy
Chief of the Intelligence Bureau, Mr. B.N. Malik, has lifted the curtain
from it in his book "My days with Nehru". He writes:</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">'Then suddenly
to our utter surprise Pandit Nehru started talking bitterly against Sheikh
Abdullah's communalism. He traced the Sheikh's history from 1930 onwards
and mentioned how he had started his career with the Muslim Conference,
which was an out and out communal organisation. He said that as a result
of pressures from outside and also seeing the development of the People's
Movement in the rest of India and for purely tactical reasons and probably
under the advice of some of his more liberal followers, the Sheikh had
converted the Muslim Conference into the Political Conference to give it
a non-communal appearance. At this time Pandit Nehru suddenly looked at
me and enquired whether I had come across some information of possible
British connivance in that movement. I replied in the affirmative. He continued
his talk against the Sheikh and mentioned all his communal activities throughout
the period he had acted as the National Conference leader. It was the Pakistani
aggression which had mellowed him a little for a short time, because the
tribals had committed gruesome atrocities on the Muslim population in the
valley. But, as soon as he became the Prime Minister, he came out in his
true colours once again and started his anti-Hindu activities. In contrast,
he praised Bakshi and Sadiq for their completely non-communal outlook and
said that these two were really secular-minded persons who required all
support from India. Pt. Nehru said that all trouble in Kashmir was due
to the Sheikh's communal outlook and it was he who was not allowing the
state to settle down to peace and stability. The Sheikh always talked about
the rights of the Muslims, forgetting that the Hindus also formed nearly
35 per cent of the population of the state and he never showed any consideration
for them. Pt. Nehru mentioned thal politically he and other Indian leaders
had to go along with the Sheikh for a considerable period and they had
also helped him and played him up hoping that by coming in contact with
secular India, where Muslims and Hindus and persons of all other denominations
were living together and enjoying a peaceful life. Sheikh Abdullah would
be able to get rid of his communalism; but communalism was a disease with
him and he could never get rid of it and his entire outlook and behaviour
were based on the fact that Kashmir valley had a Muslim majority. Therefore,
he was not at all surprised that the Sheikh had conspired with Pakistan
to overthrow the non-communal and secular Government of Bakshi and Sadiq.
What Pt. Nehru said was factually correct and was similar to what Sardar
Patel had stressed to me in 1949. At the end he wished G.S. Pathak a success
and concluded by saying that he himself was allergic to these protracted
political trials and he suggested that every effort should be made to expedite
it."</font></font><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666"></font></font>
<p><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><font color="#666666">The above revelation
from Malik has tied Nehru's entire life, his mind and national character
to a deep question mark.</font></font></ul>

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<td>
<center><font face="Book Antiqua"><a href="Chapter17.html">&lt;&lt;&lt;
Chapter 17</a></font></center>
</td>

<td>
<center><font face="Book Antiqua"><a href="index.html">Converted Kashmir</a></font></center>
</td>

<td>
<center><font face="Book Antiqua"><a href="Chapter19.html">Chapter 19 >>></a></font></center>
</td>
</tr>
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