Here letters, there bullets… Why couldn’t Nehru tolerate Sardar Patel’s interference in Kashmir?

The debate about the different thinking of Nehru and Patel regarding Kashmir is old.

The question of Kashmir has been troubling the country continuously since independence. Pakistan has had an evil eye on him since the beginning. Raja Hari Singh wavering between indecision on the question of merger. His conflict with Sheikh Abdullah, the then sole leader of the Muslim population there. Nehru’s resentment towards the king and attachment to Abdullah. On the other hand, Sardar Patel’s distrust towards Abdullah and his confidence in winning over the king. During this time, Pakistan attacked Kashmir under the guise of tribals. Nehru’s hesitation in sending his troops to Kashmir without merger with India. Initially indifferent towards Kashmir but then Patel becomes increasingly active.

Now Delhi does not delay in taking decisions. From the next morning, the process of landing of Indian Army soldiers from Air Force as well as civilian planes starts at Srinagar Airport. The tables turn. Pakistanis appear helpless in front of the advance of the Indian Army. But even before the entire Kashmir can be regained, the leadership of Delhi stops the army from moving forward. Patel, who till now was playing a big role in the affairs of Kashmir, is prevented from interfering in the issues there.

Hurt Patel even offers to resign. Further, Nehru played a decisive role on the question of Kashmir. The debate about the different thinking of Nehru and Patel regarding Kashmir is old. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has once again refreshed it by mentioning it in his speech on the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel. Read the story of the role of Sardar Patel in Kashmir, who unified and strengthened India through the integration of princely states.

Was Patel indifferent about Kashmir?

Patel’s fans believe that if Sardar Patel had his way, the issue of Kashmir, like other princely states, would have been resolved immediately after independence. On the other hand, Nehru supporters say that Patel had no interest in Kashmir. Was Sardar Patel, the iron man who performed the miracle of unification of 562 princely states, indifferent to Kashmir? Only three princely states, Junagadh, Kashmir and Hyderabad could not be merged into India till the stipulated time of 15 August 1947.

It is true that Patel was not vocal about Kashmir until Jinnah approved the merger of Hindu-dominated but Muslim-ruled Junagadh with Pakistan on 13 September 1947. But immediately after Jinnah’s decision, Patel’s interest in Kashmir increased. State Secretary V.P. Menon, who played an important role as Patel’s aide in the unification of the princely states, once quoted Patel as saying, “We do not have time to think about Kashmir.” But the same Menon, as the representative of Sardar, became the link between Delhi and Raja Hari Singh. It was Menon who reached Delhi after receiving the letter dated 26 October 1947 from Raja Hari Singh regarding the merger of Kashmir with India.

Patel started dialogue with Raja

Patel’s initial interest in Kashmir facilitated communication between Delhi and Raja Hari Singh. Nehru, who trusted Sheikh Abdullah, was angered by the king arresting him on one occasion to prevent him from entering Kashmir. Patel’s activism broke that deadlock. On the advice of Patel, the king appointed Mehar Chandra Mahajan as the Prime Minister of Kashmir. Patel’s confidant Mahajan, who later became the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India, was a judge in the Lahore High Court in those days. Patel got him eight months leave from the High Court. On September 21, 1947, Patel wrote to Raja Hari Singh, “Justice Mehar Chand will give you the details of our discussions in the interest of Kashmir. I have assured him of full cooperation and support.”

Sheikh Abdullah was important for Nehru

Till the last week of September, the Pakistani Army was preparing for the victory of Kashmir. Nehru was concerned. He told Patel that winter was near. Big steps will have to be taken as soon as possible to save Kashmir. Nehru said that Kashmir should be merged into India as soon as possible, with the cooperation of Sheikh Abdullah. Patel did not agree with Nehru on Sheikh’s question. But on this delicate occasion he avoided disagreement. On October 2, Patel wrote to Raja Hari Singh, “Sheikh Abdullah is going to come to Delhi soon. Will talk to him and find a way out of the problems coming from his side. After that, I will write about how we can move forward.”

After his several meetings with Sheikh, Sardar wrote to Mahajan, who by then had assumed the responsibility of Prime Minister of Kashmir, that Sheikh was ready to face the external threat. But they want that they should be given some rights. Patel advised the Sheikh to share in the power of Kashmir while maintaining the status of the king.

Letters here, bullets there

On one hand, letters were going on between Delhi and Srinagar, on the other hand, on 22 October, Pakistan attacked Kashmir. Nearly five thousand Pakistani soldiers were rapidly advancing into Kashmir with huge quantities of arms and ammunition. To say they were tribals, but in reality it was a war campaign of Pakistan Army under the guise of tribals. They had reached near Srinagar. After capturing Muzaffarabad, they set the city on fire.

The Muslim battalion of the princely army joined the attackers. He shot his lieutenant Narayan Singh who was in command. Brigadier Rajendra Singh was holding the front with only 150 soldiers to stop the enemy. The Brigadier and his small but brave contingent sacrificed their lives and played a memorable role in saving Srinagar by stopping the enemies for two days.

Now the king was desperate

Raja Hari Singh, who had been avoiding the question of merger till now, was now desperate. There was hope of appealing to India for help. Delhi received information about the Pakistani attack on 24 October. The information also reached General Lockhart, the British Commander in Chief of the Indian Army. In the meeting of the Defense Committee of the Cabinet on 25 October, Sardar Patel advocated the help of the King of Kashmir. He had also taken Mahatma Gandhi into confidence.

Pandit Nehru said that to counter Pakistan, Hari Singh should take Sheikh Abdullah along. On the other hand, Governor General Mountbatten created a problem by saying that how can the Indian Army intervene in Kashmir before its merger with India? But Patel was adamant and blunt. Said whether the merger took place or not. Nothing can hinder India’s military assistance to Kashmir.

Nehru’s hesitation and Mountbatten’s condition

VP Menon, who was an important associate of Patel in the merger of other princely states with India, was immediately sent to Srinagar. There was silence in Srinagar on 25 October. The police were missing. Some volunteers of the National Conference were seen roaming on the streets with sticks. The king was disappointed and helpless. Menon advised him to leave Srinagar quickly along with his family, jewelery and cash. On October 26, an enthusiastic meeting regarding Kashmir was held at the Prime Minister’s residence. Apart from Nehru, Patel, Baldev Singh, Sheikh Abdullah, Mehar Chandra Mahajan etc. were present in the meeting. Sheikh and Mahajan demanded immediate military help from India. Mountbatten and Nehru still could not decide. A disappointed Mahajan said that if India did not help, Kashmir would turn to Jinnah. Nehru got furious. Mahajan was asked to leave from there.

The moneylender also stood up. But Sardar stopped them. Said, “Surely you are not going to Pakistan.” Then Nehru agreed to Sardar’s stance and Sheikh’s persuasion. Menon was then sent to the king with the message that the Indian army was on the way. Patel did not consider the Instrument of Accession necessary for India’s intervention. But Mountbatten persuaded the committee to obtain the Instrument of Accession from the King before sending the army.

Why did the advancing Indian soldiers stop?

Raja had by now left Srinagar and reached Jammu. Menon received the letter of merger of Kashmir with India from him on 26 October. The Indian military operation starting from the next day freed Pakistan’s sixes. In reality, this was not an infiltration by tribals but an attack by a professional army. K.S. Thimayya, who later became the Army Chief, took the tanks to the inaccessible height of 11,575 feet near Zojila. But why did the advancing Indian Army not capture the whole of Kashmir? Who stopped him?

Famous journalist Kuldeep Nayyar had asked this question to Lieutenant General Kulwant Singh, who led the Kashmir campaign, many years after the war. The general said, “Prime Minister Nehru had asked him to go only to the area where Kashmiri was spoken. Nehru was not interested in going to the Punjabi-speaking area (Ghulam Kashmir). Nehru was interested only in the Kashmir Valley.” In his autobiography “One Life Is Not Enough”, Nair has claimed that in the Commonwealth Conference in London in October 1947, Nehru had told Pakistan Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan that in a way Kashmir had been divided.

Nehru did not accept Patel’s interference in Kashmir

Sardar Ki was very serious about Kashmir. Gurudaspur came to India’s part during partition. The only road connecting Jammu and Kashmir to India originated from here. In those days this road was not even passable by bullock cart. Patel not only renovated this road but also rapidly expanded the communication and transportation facilities to connect Kashmir with India.

Also tried to reduce the distance between the king and Sheikh Abdullah. But Nehru was not liking Patel’s interest in Kashmir. He consulted former Diwan of Kashmir and constitutional expert N. Gopal Swami Iyengar was included in the cabinet as a minister without portfolio and the Kashmir issue was made his responsibility. Soon a conflict began between Patel and Iyengar. The complaint reached Nehru.

Nehru became angry, Patel sent his resignation

Angered Nehru openly came out in favor of Iyengar. On December 23, 1947, he wrote to Patel, “Gopalaswami Ayyangar has been specifically asked to assist in the Kashmir issue because of his knowledge and experience of the internal situation. He will have to be given complete freedom for this. I fail to understand where the Home Ministry comes into the picture. All this is happening on my own initiative. I would not like to interfere in a matter for which I am responsible.” Patel immediately sent his handwritten resignation letter to Nehru. This resignation was not accepted. Nehru gave clarification. But Patel’s role in Kashmir was over. Further decisions related to Kashmir were of Nehru.

Also read: Is Petha of Agra a gift of the Mughals, this sweet was made for the first time during the era of Shahjahan?