Hyderabad’s Nizam Mir Usman was expecting help from Pakistan along with strengthening his army.
Hyderabad’s condition was very critical. The conversation with Nizam Usman Ali was being stretched to the Government of India. On the other hand, he was having gathering from Pakistan. UNO to issue The Nizam had also been taken by taking the internationalization of the dispute by taking it. By air, a consignment of weapons from Australia continued to reach Hyderabad by making Karachi a base. On the other hand, their migration was intensified from there amidst the killing of Hindu population in the princely state.
All were helpless in front of more than twenty thousand armed men. He had also got the support of the Pathans called from other places. There were 42 thousand soldiers of Nizam’s army. This shared power was ready to hit India directly.
Nizam expected help from Pakistan
Hyderabad along with Kashmir and Junagadh was one of the three princely states which could not be possible to merge in India till 15 August 1947. Even after Kashmir and Junagadh joined India in the next few months, the question of Hyderabad remained unresolved.
Lord Mountbatten had a ripe to solve the issue of Hyderabad. Considering it as his failure, 21 June 1948 left India. At the behest of Mountbatten, Sardar Patel gave Hyderabad an additional time of three months. The delegation, who reached Delhi from Hyderabad, would approve the agreement of the agreement and then send a reply to the refusal as soon as he returned to Hyderabad.
Every time they used to reach the table of talks with new conditions. India was not ready to approve a separate formula for Hyderabad. In fact, the preparations for the Nizam were second. In the coming days, he was cherishing strength to compete with India. Along with strengthening his army, he expected direct help from Pakistan. He also gave a loan of twenty crores to Pakistan. He was also seeking support from other countries.
Nizam Usman Ali. Photo: Getty Images
Nizam’s dream of a separate country
The princely state of Hyderabad with one crore sixty lakh population had a five percent Hindu population. The power was of Nizam Usman Ali Khan. Muslims also dominated the police-army and administration. Spread over 82,000 squaremils, the princely state was surrounded by Central Provines in the north, Bombay in the west and Madras in the east and north. The annual income was 26 crores. There was also his army and currency. The share of Muslims in the population was just 15 per cent, but the number of Muslim members was ten more than Hindus in the 132 -member assembly formed by the Nizam in 1946.
From a geographical perspective, Hyderabad is in the center of India but the Nizam was dreaming of a separate country. Pakistan was with him. There, under the leadership of Kasim Rajvi, it was dissolving poison in the atmosphere of Ittehad-ul-Masalamin. He had jugalbandi with the communists. In the princely state, the chaos of Razakaras during the day and communists at night dominated.
Razakar Rajvi’s challenge!
In his provocative speeches in Hyderabad, Qasim Rajvi was challenging that Muslims took a sword in one hand and went out to wipe the enemy. Not only Hyderabad, but four and a half crore Muslims of India were bent on provoking that they are with us in the war of Hyderabad. Rajvi was showing the dream that the day is not far when the Bay of Bengal would find the feet of our Sultanate. Asaf will hoist the flag on the Red Fort of Delhi. This speech was spoiling the atmosphere of the entire country not only Hyderabad.
The gangs of Razakars were attacking Congressmen and Hindu population of Hyderabad. The process of his murder and loot of property was going on. Muslims who dislike the Razakars were also being harassed. The incidents of attacks on trains passing through the princely state were increasing. The state bodies from Hyderabad were also in the grip of the attacks of the Razakars. Amid panic, the Hindu population started migrating from Hyderabad. This was also the objective of the Razakars.
The Taj Falaknuma Palace was the residence of the Nizam in Hyderabad. Photo: Getty Images
The situation in Hyderabad was worse
The condition of Hyderabad was getting worse. Law and order had completely collapsed amidst the murder, robbery, rape and increasing incidents of threatening Hindu population. The Razakars had complete exemption of arbitrariness. V.P., who played an important role in the integration of princely states. Menon has quoted the resignation by JV Joshi, a member of the Nizam’s Executive Council in his popular book Integration of the Indian States.
According to Joshi, “There is a kingdom of panic in Parbhani and Nanded. Seeing the oppression and ruin in iron, tears came out in my eyes. Brahmins were killed and their eyes were taken out. Women were raped. The houses were raped. The houses were set on fire.
Now Patel was not ready to stop
Sardar Patel was no longer ready to stop. Even after illness, he met him on 15 April 1948 when he reached Delhi’s Prime Minister Laik Ali. Sardar bluntly said, ‘I know a lot in whose hands the power of Hyderabad is? Those who dominate Hazrat (Qasim Rajvi) Hyderabad, have said that if India enters Hyderabad, then only one and a half crore Hindus will get bones and ashes. If this is the condition, then surely he is destroying the Nizam and his breeds. Go talk to the Nizam and give the last answer. So that we can decide what we have to do? The unity of the country, which we have made by giving our blood, should not tolerate it, will not tolerate it. “
Patel rejected every objection
By August 1948, the condition of Hyderabad became very critical. Sardar Patel was under pressure for military action since long ago. The issues such as the situation in Kashmir, the intervention of Pakistan, the communal situation of the country and international pressure continued to rise in meetings. Nehru had his arguments. Governor General Rajagopalachari still expected a peaceful solution. But Patel continued to dismiss every objection. He was not ready to lose Hyderabad at any cost. Due to this, new problems for the country should stand, before that he had kept gearing up for treatment. The cabinet eventually united for military action in Hyderabad.
Operation Polo
The dawn army of 13 September 1948 went ahead. It was named “Operation Polo”. General Butcher tried to stop the campaign till the last moment. Showed the fear of the bombers of Hyderabad army. But the direction of Lieutenant General Rajendrasinh and Major General J.N. A division of the army led by Chaudhary went ahead of the Sholapur-Hyderabad route. The second division attacked the Baijwara-Hyderabad road.
The Indian military contingent nabbed the Hyderabad Army Lieutenant TT Moore with an explosive jeep while crossing the Naldarg Bridge within about 12 miles in Hyderabad. There was a preparation to blow the bridge from him. If the Indian Army had delayed its campaign for even a day, the operation polo would have been postponed further.
Razakars tried more to compete more than Hyderabad’s army. But by the evening of 17 September, everything was settled. Hyderabad Radio confirmed this in the evening. The Hyderabad army surrendered the next day. 42 soldiers of the Indian Army were martyred. 24 were missing and 97 injured. 490 soldiers of Hyderabad army were killed. 122 injured. 2,727 Razakar killed. 102 injured. 3,364 arrested. Razakars had to pay a heavy price for Rajvi’s rage. Rajvi was also arrested on 19 September.
Patel-Nehru again face to face
During this time, peace and peace remained in the whole country. Not a single incident of communal violence took place. The Muslims of the country lived with the Government of India. India accepted the Nizam as a constitutional head. However, on this question, on September 14, the cabinet again came up with a confrontation. Patel said that the Nizam is over. We cannot keep this ulcers. His dynasty is over.
Nehru exploded and left the meeting. Later, Patel agreed that the Nizam cannot do any special harm as a constitutional head. The Nizam signed the documents of the merger of Hyderabad in India. Major General J.N. Chaudhary became the Military Governor of Hyderabad. On 23 September, the United Nations withdrew its complaint. The last fork of integration of princely states had come out. Hyderabad was now from India.
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