Princely States and Jammu and Kashmir | How was India Formed

Hey Everybody, there are 29 states and 7 union territories in India. Before the 2019 map, the 1956 map had come which talks about how states were divided based on the linguistic way. Before the 1956 map, 1950 map had come in which we enacted the Constitution. The whole area is British India. Now will talk about boundaries and territories. So British India and Afghanistan were separated through this line which called as "Durand Line" - it was created in 1893.

Photo by Aaditya Arora from Pexels

After Indepndence

 Now let's talk about 1947 and the importance of 1947. What is the importance of 1947? 15th August 1947 we got our independence. How territories of British India will be divided? British India which part will become India and Pakistan. All this thing was decided by Mountbatten Plan,1947. Mountbatten Plan had two objectives. First Objective: British India was divided into India and Pakistan two dominance. Second objective: In British India, which are the Princely states. So, what will happen with Princely states? Princely states territories will come under India or Pakistan that has to decide.


 Now British Government or Muslim Leak decided that the area in which Muslim Population is more. So, that is will go to Pakistan. After hearing all this thing Mountbatten Plan was created in 1947. Mountbatten Plan was enacted by British Parliament passed the Indian Parliament Act, 1947. According to which India and Pakistan named to dominance was going to be created. In this plan, the biggest problem was created in Punjab and Bengal provinces. Because in these two provinces, the population Hindu and Muslim were equal. So, to create the boundaries in this area. Two boundary commission was appointed. The Boundary Commission was appointed for Punjab and Bengal. Both the boundary commission head was Sir Cyril Radcliffe, who reached India on 18th August 1947. By hearing all things, we feel the work is very easy. Let's know what difficulties had been faced? The first problem was limited time. In both areas, the boundary has to be created within 5 weeks. Second problem, limited expertise. Before, this Sir Cyril Radcliffe never came to India. So, Sir Cyril Radcliffe was not aware of Indian cultural differences or the existing religious tension of India. The third problem and most important problem was that to create the two boundaries. Sir Cyril Radcliffe was provided maps and a census report was given it is not precise and was outdated. So, 14th August 1947 Pakistan and 15th August 1947 India. They both got their independence's. Two separate nations were existing. Both the country demarcated by the separate boundary which was released after two days of independence on 17th August 1947. This both the line is called "Radcliffe Line". This was the Mountbatten Plan or Indian Independence first objective, for creating India and Pakistan country.

The Mountbatten plan

 Let's know, the second objective of the Mountbatten Plan. 17th August 1947 India and Pakistan map is seen like this. In this map green colour signifies the territory which was princely states according to Mountbatten plan or Indian Independence Act. Princely state has the option that, they can join India or Pakistan or declare themselves as an independent state. So, the Princely state was to be integrated into India and it was a big task. The princely state was integrated into India and people join to integrate it like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, V.P. Menon and Jawaharlal Nehru and Lord Mountbatten were helping in this work. All the technics had been used. So, that Princely state can be integrated into India. Had a talk with all the Maharaja's and negotiation had been done. Do you know Negotiation has an approach i.e."Carrot and Stick approach"? In this case how we had applied the Carrot and Stick approach. On one hand, we are talking about incentives. We use to say that, the kings were integrated in India. we will give you lots of incentives. Incentives like "Privy Purse". Privy Purse is a kind of a fund, in which we say that after joining India. we will provide you with funds for maintenance and expenditure. This was an incentive or carrot. Now talk about the stick. In Stick, the Princely state which from Radcliffe line was at the side of India. Radcliffe Line who was at the side of India and if you will not integrate in India. If you do not join India. So, India will take military action against Princely State. Totally Pakistan and India had 565 Princely State. India has 552 Princely states and Pakistan has 13 Princely states. From these 552 states, we had signed the "Instrument of Accession" with 549 states and they became part of India. Instrument of Accession is like a treaty between the Indian Government and Maharaja of Princely State. In this treaty, there is a condition on which bases Princely State will integrate with India. Like Indian Government offer Privy Purse to Princely State. Princely State on that behalf joins India. Princely State says that it will fully adopt the Indian Constitution. Total 549 states to join India had signed Instrument of Accession. 3 states which were not able to be integrated in India were Junagarh, Hyderabad and Jammu & Kashmir. Let see, what problem these states were facing? In Junagarh, the Nazam was Muslim but, most of the population was Hindu in the majority. The Nazam had to go to Pakistan and the population had to become a part of India. Due to this Junagarh had done a referendum. The referendum is a voting system, in which people decide they want to become a part of India or Pakistan. So, the referendum happened in Junagarh from this it was decided that Junagarh will become part of India.

About Hyderbad 

 Let's talk about Hyderbad Amongst the Princely State the Hyderbad was the richest and the biggest state. Hyderabad problem was different. The Nazam of Hyderbad neither want to join Pakistan or India. The Nazam want to establish Hyderbad as an Independent State. During the time of Independence, the whole nation was facing religious tension, lawlessness or loot maar was going on and that similar thing was happening in Hyderabad. Hyderabad forces were not able to control the lawlessness. So, to help Hyderbad the Indian Government mainly Sadar Vallabhbhai Patel launch "Operation Polo". In Operation Polo the neighbouring state was sending the police for assisting them. Due to this 19th September 1948, the Indian Government signed the Instrument of association with Nazam of Hyderabad. Hyderabad is integrated in India. Let's talk about the 3rd state i.e., Kashmir. After independence, when we were making our Constitution because of which acts as a protector of Rights Before this J&K is that princely state which had their own legislation and on the bases of that legislation, the citizen of J&K was getting lots of rights and protection already. From those rights and protection, there was one right i.e., the property right.


 When J&K was to be integrated in India or had to adopt the Indian Constitution and one question has been raised. Along with the question to adopt, another question was raised that the right to property which was available to them from before will be their right only. Right to Property will be open to other citizens of India. The problem in Kashmir was similar to Jungar and Hyderbad. Kashmir majority population was Muslim but, the Raja was Hindu. When Mountbatten Plan was made created. Many people thought that Kashmir will become part of Pakistan. Maharaja Hari Singh signed a Standstill Agreement with India and Pakistan. It means that Maharaja neither wants to become part of India nor Pakistan. Maharaja wants to keep J&K as an Independent state. In October 1947, Pakistan slowly started sending its army towards Kashmir and started occupying the territory of Kashmir and tried to remove the Maharaja from its post. Maharaja Hari Singh got scared and ask assistance from the Indian Government. But, the Indian government ask on what basis or on what position or relation we should give you the assistance and you are not part of India. On 26th October 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh and the Indian government signed the Instrument of Accession. J&K became part of India. After the signing of the IOA Indian Government send its army to J&K and remove Pakistan forces. The result of the war is that on 1st January 1949 both the country had an agreement of ceasefire had been signed. The result of the Ceasefire agreement is LOC [Line of Control]. It was decided that both the country army, how much terrorism has been occupied. So, that terrorism will be occupied by a respected country. J&K 2/3rd part was with India and 1/3rd part was with Pakistan. After signing the Instrument Of Accession J&K new leader was Sheikh Abdullah. Instrument of Accession is a treaty, in which lots of conditions and on which bases integration is happening. When the Kashmir agreement happened, we signed the Instrument of Accession. So, why IOA is so different and how Article 35A and Article 370 came into existence.

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