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HT This Day: Nov 10, 1947 -- India takes over govt of Junagadh
The Government of India have taken over the administration of Junagadh State. This has been done in response to the request communicated by the Nawab of Junagadh and his Dewan, Mr Bhutto, through Maj. Harvey Jones.
The Government of India have taken over the administration of Junagadh State. This has been done in response to the request communicated by the Nawab of Junagadh and his Dewan, Mr Bhutto, through Maj. Harvey Jones.
Troops of the Indian Dominion comprising a battalion with a few medium tanks entered Junagadh City at 6 p.m. today. Brig. Gurdial Singh and Mr Buch, India Government’s Regional Commissioner at Rajkot, have also arrived in Junagadh. The local population lined the route and gave an ovation to the Indian forces.
Our troops were received at the frontier of the State by Maj. Harvey Jones and other high State ofHeials and prominent non-officials. The troops have taken possession of the Veraval Port, the airport in the State and the State Forces headquarters.
Indicative of the utter civic dislocation in the State was the empty treasury. There was not a rupee in the State treasury and the first thing the States Ministry of the Government of India will have to do is to fly currency and coinage.
Correspondence released tonight shows that the request to the Government of India to take over the administration of Junagadh came from the duly constituted authority, namely, the Nawab and his Council. The request had the approval of the people whose wishes were ascertained at a public meeting.
The proposed arrangement is provisional pending a final decision rewarding the question of accession. The Government of India have agreed to take over the administration to prevent repercussions in the territories of the Union.
This development has occurred none too soon. The authority of the Nawab was rapidly vanishing and correspondingly the Provisional Government was gaining strength and following. An executive council is being set up to run the administration. The situation will now be stabilized and the threat to the safety of India and economic stability of Kathiawar removed.
The issue of accession has probably yet to be resolved but it will not now take long. The Rulers in Kathiawar, led by the Jam Saheb, were very keen to see the Junagadh problem settled soon and they presumably played their part to see that further complications did not arise.
Nawab Realizes Folly
Accession to Pakistan was probably forced on the Nawab of Junagadh by his Prime Minister, a Sindhi Muslim politician, under a directive from Muslim League leaders. It certainly caused surprise to the States Ministry and the Rulers of the other States in Kathiawar. When the Nawab realized the fully of his notion he fled to Karachi seeking asylum. He is still there and must be wondering what the future holds for him.
It is a tribute to the patience and wisdom of the Nehru Cabinet that the Junagadh issue has been settled without any clash of arms. Pakistan leaders probably imagined that the Government of India would rush armed forces to annex the territory of Junagadh and that it would give them a free hand in Kashmir. The bait was not taken. The Government of India stood sincerely for the principle of honouring the will of the people and took no other measures to safeguard the territories of Kathiawar States that had acceded to India.
This display of force, however, demoralized those who had counted on forcing the Hindu population to leave Junagadh and to exchange it with Muslim population. The flight of Hindus was checked and confidence created in the Central Government’s ability to honour its pledge to the acceding States. Thus encircled and thwarted in their plans the Ruler and his advisers fled to Karachi.
The news about Junagadh coming clearly on the heels of the fall of Baramula has been a great tonic for the people of India who were getting tired of the Hitlerian tactics of Pakistan and were hoping that firmness would be shown by their own Government.
Pakistan Govt. Informed
The Government of India, it is announced, had kept the Pakistan Government informed of the steps being taken.
A Press communique issued tonight releases a telegram sent today by the Prime Minister of India, Pandit Nehru, to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr Liaquat Ali Khan.
The telegram reads:
“Our Regional Commissioner at Rajkot was approached yesterday by Maj. Harvey Jones, Senior Member of the Junagadh State Council and Member-in-Charge of Junagadh State Forces, with a letter from Junagadh Dewan. Mr Bhutto, appealing to the Government of India to take over the Junagadh administration. This request was made in order to save the State from complete administrative breakdown and pending honourable settlement of several issues involved in the Junagadh accession. Mr Bhutto has stated in his letter that he had already telegraphed to you to this effect.”
“We have considered this request and with a view to avoiding chaos in the State and its repercussions have agreed to take over the administration of Junagadh with immediate effect. We have issued instructions to that effect to our Regional Commissioner, Rajkot, the text of which runs as follows:
‘’Mr Buch from Mr Menon. The letter of Mr Bhutto of Junagadh, dated November 8, addressed to you and brought personally by Maj. Harvey Jones, Senior Member of the Junagadh State Forces, offering immediate handing over of the Junagadh administration has been considered by the Government of India. They consider that in view of the unanimous request of the Junagadh State Council supported by the public of Junagadh, whose views were ascertained by the Council at a meeting held in Junagadh on October 7, and also in view of the complete breakdown of the administration resulting in chaotic condition in the State. you should take over the administration forthwith and ensure peace and order at the earliest possible moment. The Pakistan Government is being informed from here.”
Bhutto’s Telegram To Patel
The Dewan of Junagadh, Mr Bhutto, according to informed quarters, had sent an emissary to the Deputy Prime Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, to discuss the Junagadh affair. In a telegram to Sardar Patel which Mr Bhutto sent on November 8, he says: “I am very grateful for granting an interview to our representative. We accept your advice, but I am distressed to find that I am not allowed sufficient time to bring back the Nawab Saheb from Karachi and to the steps for a people’s Government. Being pressed by circumstances, we have asked the Regional Commissioner, Rajkot, to assist in preserving law and order and in avoiding bloodshed against aggressive elements from outside without prejudice to an honourable settlement of the issues involved. His Highness from Karachi wires to avoid bloodshed at any cost of his beloved subjects and has invited me to meet him at once at Karachi to discuss the situation.”
A copy of this telegram has been sent to Mahatma Gandhi and Maulana Azad.
A Press communique issued by the States Ministry today says:
In a second telegram today to the Prime Minister of Pakistan regarding Junagadh. the Prime Minister of India adds: “In view of special circumstances pointed out by Junagadh Dewan, our Regional Commissioner at Rajkot has taken temporary charge of Junagadh administration. This has been done to avoid disorder “and resulting chaos. We have, however, no desire to continue this arrangement and wish to find a speedy solution in accordance with the wishes of the people of Junagadh. We have pointed out to you previously that final decision should be made by means of referendum or plebiscite.
