Daily Times

It is intriguing to see and hear about the lavish and prodigal lifestyle of the Maharajas of the Princely states of the subcontinent. At the time of independence, there were around 565 states. Every state has its history, unusual tales, machinations, and inexplicable living style.

Jinnah’s intransigent attitude and his immovable commitment to Muslims’ land was firm. He was called an ‘evil genius’ first by the Mountbatten. Jinnah was lured into Premiership, Governorship, and Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court but he blatantly refused. These offers were half-heartedly given to Jinnah by Gandhi. However, the Congress had no idea about it. Later, it was rejected by radical members of Congress too.

After all this farrago of misinterpretation and misconception, the only viable option available to everyone was partition.

The announcement was made by Mountbatten who had failed to complete the task to unite India. He half-heartedly delivered a formal speech and went straight to Edwina where he lambasted everyone and defined the situation by saying ‘Improbable dream is coming true’.

The main question that popped up in everyone’s mind was about how many countries will get freedom? One, two, or five sixty-five. The question remained unanswered that whether States would be given freedom or merged into India or Pakistan.

It was a night of rumours and intense tension. Mountbatten had to deliver the speech the next day-4th June 1947. He rehearsed the well-drafted statements carefully around hundred times giving attention to every nuanced detail. Mountbatten stepped in India reluctantly, he left no table unturned not to come to India but all his efforts were railroaded by Attlee and even his own royal cousins.

The speech was delivered at the Legislative assembly before the Princes and Indian leaders. The main essence of the speech was “Every state has to join either India or Pakistan no state shall be free. This was like a hammer on the heads of the princes.

There were few states of utter importance to Pakistan. One of them was Jodhpur that was adjacent to Pakistan.  The young and prodigal Maharaja Harvant Singh was the ruler of Jodhpur that time. Though his father had connections with Indian leaders but he was more worried about his luxurious life.

The Muslim League had a laid-back policy regarding princely states while Congress was robust and active in luring and merging them

Jinnah whole-heartedly offered everything to Harvant Singh. To some sources, he even presented a signed blank paper to Maharaja to fill his demands. Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Bhopal, Bikaner, and Hyderabad- all these states had a tilt towards Pakistan.

Maharaja demanded the use of the Karachi port and; sway over Hyderabad railways lines for Arms and smuggling to prop up the revenue

Jinnah, to the amazement of Raja, said yes. Harvant Singh became delighted but soon his “extra demands for discussing the proposal with others” made Qaid-e-Azam furious and he snatched the blank paper from him.

Things were in favour of Pakistan. But, there is also a worth noting a factor that VP Menon had served the British for 30 years and now he was Personal Secretary to Mountbatten. He used his soft meaner to persuade Mountbatten to get him on India’s side. Mountbatten, Patel, Nehru, and Menon were hell-bent on turning every state on Indian side by any means.

When Menon became aware of the clandestine meeting between Harvant Singh and Jinnah, he rushed towards Vallabhai Patel- a radical Hindu.  Maharaja was invited by Patel and the meeting took place in the palatial house. Different offers were presented before him; both carrots and sticks were used by Vallabhai Patel. Sardar Patel offered to join Jodhpur with the port of Kutch, which shall keep the revenue of Jodhpur floating. He even went to the extent that if the people of his state revolt “do not place hope in Indian government. Harvant Singh reluctantly agreed to sign the instrument of accession.

Maharaja Hanvant Singh, while being intimidated by Sardar Patel into merging with India, visited the Viceroy House the next day to sign the Instrument of Accession. At the Viceroy House, under stressful conditions and an aching ego, the Maharaja was involved in a verbal altercation with VP Menon, since Menon did not want to draw special straws for the State of Jodhpur to which Sardar Patel had agreed to the day prior. Maharaja pulled out a pistol and threatened to shoot Menon ‘Like a Dog’.

Fortunately, for VP Menon, Lord Mountbatten arrived at the scene and demanded the pistol back from the Maharaja and calmly sign the Instrument of Accession to integrate the State of Jodhpur with the Indian dominion.

On 11th August 1947, Maharaja Hanvant Singh, King of Jodhpur signed on the Instrument of Accession, and then, the third largest princely state was integrated into the Indian Dominion.

The counterfactual thinking is that it is important to note here that Hyderabad, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, and Junagadh were adjacent to one another. If Jodhpur had decided in favour of Pakistan and even if a revolt had occurred, Pak army would have rescued them and being geographically close, Pakistan would have an advantage and all these five states would have been liberated.

The Muslim League had laid-back policy regarding princely states while Congress was robust and active in luring and merging them. Moreover, Mountbatten was partial and Gandhi was kept in the dark.

The writer is freelance journalist. He can be reached at ahsanaltafabbasi1@gmail.com

Published in Daily Times, May 29^th 2018.