Dr Shreeya Bakshi
“Justice is My Religion” is a famous quote of Maharaja Hari Singh which speaks alot about him. Maharaja Hari Singh-the Real Hero of Nation was the fourth and last Dogra ruler of the state of Jammu and Kashmir who ascended to the throne in 1927. Maharaja Hari Singh was sensitive to the changing times and was a very progressive ruler of his time. On the day of his coronation he announced several reforms: Zamindars were given greater rights to the land they held, they could now cultivate some kinds of Government lands, female infanticide and early marriages were to be discouraged and more schools, hospitals and educational institutions would be opened. He later banned polyandry in Ladakh and outlawed rum (bride-price) among the Sudans of Poonch. He made education free and gave liberal scholarships to those who wanted to continue it in Indian Universities.
In the year 1934, he implemented the Constitutional system, and as a further step constituted the Royal Commission in 1943. But he could not succeed due to the opposition of the National Conference and the Muslim Conference. According to the Census Report of 1921, literacy in the entire state was only twenty six (26) per thousand. By 1931 this figure had gone up to forty one (41). The number of students in government aided institutions was 44,601 in 1925 and in 1941, this figure rose to 1,34,000.
The state was in a stable and progressive mode during his reign but it was only in the year 1931, there started an agitation against the ‘Dogra Government’. By the mid-1931 rumors had been spreading about the Maharaja’s officials deliberately mistreating Muslims and Islam in Jammu. The report that elicited the most vituperative reaction was of a Hindu police constable who had prevented a Muslim subordinate from saying his prayers and had followed this insult up with the injury of throwing the latter’s copy of the Quran to the ground. Later Mr. G.E.C Wakefield, Foreign and Political Minister of the Maharaja, came to Jammu to enquire into the matter. He discovered that no insult had been made intentionally, it was a mere accident. Therefore, he found this incident to have been grossly exaggerated, although not entirely without foundation.
Under the pressure of British Government, Maharaja appointed the Commission under the Chairmanship of Sir B.J.Galancy who belonged to the department of Political and Foreign Affairs, Government of India, to go into the grievances of the people on November 12, 1931. This Commission submitted a report on the conditions of Muslims in March 1932 and in April 1932 it recommended certain constitutional reforms. Maharaja accepted almost all those recommendations. And hence, he worked hard to improve the conditions of his subjects irrespective of region and religion.
But the last years of princely state of Jammu and Kashmir saw a number of dramatic developments. Two important parties from British India, the Muslim League and the Indian National Congress had begun to make forays in to the politics of Kashmir. In May 1946, the Cabinet Mission sent to India declared that when the British leave India, its Paramountcy would lapse and the rights of princely states would return to them. According to Indian Independence act of 1947, British India was divided into India and Pakistan and the rulers of the princely States were given the choice to accede to either of the dominions ie, India or Pakistan. Thus, Maharaja Hari Singh was the sole and absolute authority to decide the fate of Jammu and Kashmir. On 26th of October, 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession and hence J&K became a part of India thereafter.
But before signing Instrument of Accession with India, Lord Mountbatten forced the Maharaja Hari Singh to accede to Pakistan by saying that “if Kashmir went to Pakistan, it would not be regarded as unfriendly act by government of India.” A myth is created regarding Maharaja remaining Independent but it is not true. Maharaja Hari Singh always wanted accede to India but it is because of Pandit Nehru the accession of J&K could not take place well in time.
On May 20, 1946, Sheikh Abdullah was arrested because of initiating movement against Maharaja Hari Singh. Nehru demanded the immediate release of Sheikh Abdullah and himself proceeded to Kashmir to make arrangements for the Sheikh’s defence. The Maharaja presumably under the advice of Prime Minister, Ram Chandra Kak, prohibited Nehru’s entry in to the state. Nehru defied the prohibition order and was stopped at Kohala Bridge and taken to Domel by the J&K state police on June 20, 1946. He returned after staying for two days in a guest house. Later on, this was publicized as Nehru’s arrest.
This event, besides causing a great public stir, permanently impaired the relations between Maharaja Hari Singh and Nehru. As subsequent events showed, Nehru was never able to get over his hostility towards Maharaja, and Sheikh Abdullah exploited it to the hilt. Prime Minister Nehru was primarily keen on securing the release of Sheikh Abdullah and perhaps by throwing his considerable weight behind Sheikh Abdullah he believed he was helping him in securing the support of the primarily Muslim Kashmiris for India and thereby demonstrating to M.A. Jinnah that not all Muslims of subcontinent believed in his orthodox two nation theory.
When soon after independence, Maharaja Hari Singh anticipated the Pakistani move and was preparing in the hope that better sense will prevail in New Delhi. The Maharaja and Indian Government both were having a close watch on the situation in J&K. Through his Pradhan Mantri- Mehar Chand Mahajan, the Maharaja was in constant contact with Sardar Patel- the Deputy Prime Minister, and Jawharlal Nehru- the Prime Minister, and was attracting the attention of government on all fast changing developments. On the other hand, both the Lord Mountbatten and Jawaharlal Nehru wanted the Maharaja to hand over the power to Sheikh Abdullah. Mehar Chand Mahajan (PM of J&K) and Sardar Vallab Bhai Patel were constantly worried about State’s accession with India. They sent a message to the then RSS Chief Madhav Sadashivrao Golwalkar (Guru) to convince the Maharaja about it in the interest of the country. After his approval, Mehar Chand Mahajan arranged the meeting of Guru Golwalkar with the Maharaja Hari Singh. This meeting was very fruitful and it helped the Maharaja in taking a decision.
On 26th October 1947, Maharaja signed “Instrument of Accession” thereby integrating the state of J&K in to Indian Union. On 27th October 1947, Indian troops landed in Kashmir to save the state and its subjects from the brutal invasion of Pakistan. It clearly envisaged that the terms of the accession shall not be “varied (altered) by any amendment of the Government of India Act, 1935 or the Indian Independence Act, 1947 unless such an amendment was affected by the ruler of Jammu and Kashmir by an ‘Instrument supplementary to this Instrument’. On 30th October 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh appointed Sheikh Abdullah as the emerging administrator for the state.
It was 1st May 1949 when Sardar Patel suggested Hari Singh for a temporary exit from the State due to some security and economy related conditions in a meeting at Delhi. It was suggested that Yuvraj Karan Singh be appointed as Regent by Maharaja in his absence. Maharaja accepted the same and communicated his consent while he was staying in Imperial Hotel New Delhi- Maharaja Hari signed on 20 June 1949 proclamation at Delhi making Yuvraj Karan Singh, as the Regent. Mr. Karan Singh went to Srinagar on 20 June 1949 for the first time as Regent. And the temporary exit of Hari Singh from J&K became his permanent exit. He quit the State of J&K after delegating royal powers of His Highness to Yuvraj Karan Singh. The Maharaja relinquished his office on 9th June 1949 for ever.
It very clearly describes the magnanimity of the character of Maharaja Hari Singh. Being a Rajput Dogra ruler of the state, he gave due importance to the lives of his subjects. He kept all his differences with Pandit Nehru aside and released Sheikh Abdullah from the jail and even appointed him as an emergency administrator of the state. He always wanted to make his state a progressive one and hence, brought lot many reforms during his reign. Maharaja Hari Singh was a real hero of the Nation who always stood firm for his country and for his countrymen. He is a man who must be remembered today for his decision to accede his state- Jammu and Kashmir to India.
(The author is Assistant Professor Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala, India)
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