ice_man
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Junagadh is one of the modern districts of Saurastra,Gujarat
Junagadh was a state on the southwestern end of Gujarat, with the principalities of Manavadar, Mangrol and Babriawad. The Arabian Sea stood between it and Pakistan. The state had an overwhelming Hindu population who consituted more than 80% of it's citizens, whilst the ruler of the state was a Muslim. On August 15 1947 the ruler of the state Nawab of Junagarh Manabhar Khanji acceded to Pakistan. Pakistan confirmed the acceptance of the accession in September 1947. India did not accept the accession as legitimate.
The Indian point of view was that since Junagarh was a state with a predominantly Hindu population it should be a part of India. Additionally, since the state was encircled by Indian territory it should have been a part of India. Indian politicians also stated that by giving Pakistan a predominantly Hindu region to govern the basis of the two nation theory was contradicted.
The Pakistani point of view was that since Junagarh had a ruler who chose to accede to Pakistan he should be allowed to do so. Junagarh, having a coastline could have maintained maritime links with Pakistan. Additionally, Pakistani politicians stated that the two nation theory did not necessarily mean a clear division of land and absolute transfer of populations as the sheer magnitude of such a proceeding would wreack havoc upon countless millions.
Needless to say, neither of the two states were able to resolve this issue amicably and it only added fuel to an already charged environment.
Sardar Patel, India's then Defence Minister, felt that if Junagadh was permitted to go to Pakistan, it would create communal unrest across Gujarat. The government of India gave Pakistan time to void the accession and hold a plebiscite in Junagadh to pre empt any violence in Gujarat. Samaldas Gandhi formed a government-in-exile, the Arzi Hukumat (in Urdu: Arzi: Transitional, Hukumat: Government) of the people of Junagarh. Patel ordered the annexation of Junagarh's three principalities. Junagarh, facing financial collapse, first invited the Arzi Hukumat, and later the Government of India to accept the reins of power.
Kashmir dispute
Kashmir was Muslim-majority princely state, ruled by a Hindu, Hari Singh. The Maharaja of Kashmir was equally hesitant to join either India — he felt his mostly Muslim subjects would not like joining a Hindu-majority nation — or Pakistan — which as a Hindu he was personally averse to. Pakistan coveted the Himalayan kingdom, while Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi and Indian PM Jawaharlal Nehru hoped that the kingdom would join India. Hari Singh signed a Standstill Agreement (preserving status quo) with Pakistan, but did not make his decision by August 15, 1947.
Rumours spread in Pakistan that Hari Singh was trying to accede Kashmir to India. Eager to bring Kashmir under its control, Pakistan decided to take Kashmir by force. Backed by Pakistani paramilitary forces, Pashtun tribal warlords invaded Kashmir in September 1947. Kashmir's security forces were ill-equipped to fight against Pakistan. Troubled by the deteriorating law and order situation in Kashmir, the Maharaja Hari Singh asked for India's help. However, the Constitution of India barred the Indian Armed Forces intervention since Kashmir did not come under India's jurisdiction. Desperate to get India's help, the Maharaja acceded Kashmir to India and signed the Instrument of Accession. [1] By this time the raiders were close to the capital, Srinagar. On October 27, 1947, the Indian Air Force airlifted Indian troops into Srinagar. Indian troops secured Jammu, Srinagar and the Kashmir valley itself, but the intense fighting flagged with the onset of winter, which made much of the state impassable. After weeks of intense fighting between India and Pakistan, Indian Prime Minister Nehru declared a ceasefire and sought U.N. arbitration with the promise of a plebiscite. Sardar Patel had argued against both, describing Kashmir as a bilateral dispute and its accession as justified by international law.In 1957, Kashmir was fully integrated into the Union of India and the state of Jammu and Kashmir was created. The northwestern portion that remained under control of the Pakistan army is today Pakistan-administered Kashmir. In 1962, China occupied Aksai Chin, the northeastern region bordering Ladakh. In 1984, India launched Operation Meghdoot and captured more than 80% of the Siachen Glacier.
India maintains that the Maharaja's decision, which was the norm for every other princely state at the time of independence, and subsequent elections, for over 40 years, in Kashmir have made it an integral part of India. Pakistan asserts Kashmiris' rights to self-determination through a plebiscite in accordance with an earlier Indian statement and a UN resolution. Pakistan also maintains that by India's own logic regarding Junagadh (that the Hindu majority state should have gone to India even though it had a Muslim ruler), that Kashmir should rightfully have become part of Pakistan or at the very least the promised plebiscite should be allowed to decide the fate of the Kashmiri people. India however points to Pakistan's failure to comply to the preconditions of the plebiscite including a complete pullout of Pakistani troops from the area first. This dispute triggered wars between the two countries in 1947 and 1965, and a limited conflict in 1999. The state remains divided between the two countries by the Line of Control (LoC), which demarcates the ceasefire line agreed upon in the 1947 conflict.
Now my question is how can JUNGARADH annexation be considered correct & why is our stand on kashmir considered incorrect??? both had rulers that ruled subjects of a different religious background!!!
Junagadh was a state on the southwestern end of Gujarat, with the principalities of Manavadar, Mangrol and Babriawad. The Arabian Sea stood between it and Pakistan. The state had an overwhelming Hindu population who consituted more than 80% of it's citizens, whilst the ruler of the state was a Muslim. On August 15 1947 the ruler of the state Nawab of Junagarh Manabhar Khanji acceded to Pakistan. Pakistan confirmed the acceptance of the accession in September 1947. India did not accept the accession as legitimate.
The Indian point of view was that since Junagarh was a state with a predominantly Hindu population it should be a part of India. Additionally, since the state was encircled by Indian territory it should have been a part of India. Indian politicians also stated that by giving Pakistan a predominantly Hindu region to govern the basis of the two nation theory was contradicted.
The Pakistani point of view was that since Junagarh had a ruler who chose to accede to Pakistan he should be allowed to do so. Junagarh, having a coastline could have maintained maritime links with Pakistan. Additionally, Pakistani politicians stated that the two nation theory did not necessarily mean a clear division of land and absolute transfer of populations as the sheer magnitude of such a proceeding would wreack havoc upon countless millions.
Needless to say, neither of the two states were able to resolve this issue amicably and it only added fuel to an already charged environment.
Sardar Patel, India's then Defence Minister, felt that if Junagadh was permitted to go to Pakistan, it would create communal unrest across Gujarat. The government of India gave Pakistan time to void the accession and hold a plebiscite in Junagadh to pre empt any violence in Gujarat. Samaldas Gandhi formed a government-in-exile, the Arzi Hukumat (in Urdu: Arzi: Transitional, Hukumat: Government) of the people of Junagarh. Patel ordered the annexation of Junagarh's three principalities. Junagarh, facing financial collapse, first invited the Arzi Hukumat, and later the Government of India to accept the reins of power.
Kashmir dispute
Kashmir was Muslim-majority princely state, ruled by a Hindu, Hari Singh. The Maharaja of Kashmir was equally hesitant to join either India — he felt his mostly Muslim subjects would not like joining a Hindu-majority nation — or Pakistan — which as a Hindu he was personally averse to. Pakistan coveted the Himalayan kingdom, while Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi and Indian PM Jawaharlal Nehru hoped that the kingdom would join India. Hari Singh signed a Standstill Agreement (preserving status quo) with Pakistan, but did not make his decision by August 15, 1947.
Rumours spread in Pakistan that Hari Singh was trying to accede Kashmir to India. Eager to bring Kashmir under its control, Pakistan decided to take Kashmir by force. Backed by Pakistani paramilitary forces, Pashtun tribal warlords invaded Kashmir in September 1947. Kashmir's security forces were ill-equipped to fight against Pakistan. Troubled by the deteriorating law and order situation in Kashmir, the Maharaja Hari Singh asked for India's help. However, the Constitution of India barred the Indian Armed Forces intervention since Kashmir did not come under India's jurisdiction. Desperate to get India's help, the Maharaja acceded Kashmir to India and signed the Instrument of Accession. [1] By this time the raiders were close to the capital, Srinagar. On October 27, 1947, the Indian Air Force airlifted Indian troops into Srinagar. Indian troops secured Jammu, Srinagar and the Kashmir valley itself, but the intense fighting flagged with the onset of winter, which made much of the state impassable. After weeks of intense fighting between India and Pakistan, Indian Prime Minister Nehru declared a ceasefire and sought U.N. arbitration with the promise of a plebiscite. Sardar Patel had argued against both, describing Kashmir as a bilateral dispute and its accession as justified by international law.In 1957, Kashmir was fully integrated into the Union of India and the state of Jammu and Kashmir was created. The northwestern portion that remained under control of the Pakistan army is today Pakistan-administered Kashmir. In 1962, China occupied Aksai Chin, the northeastern region bordering Ladakh. In 1984, India launched Operation Meghdoot and captured more than 80% of the Siachen Glacier.
India maintains that the Maharaja's decision, which was the norm for every other princely state at the time of independence, and subsequent elections, for over 40 years, in Kashmir have made it an integral part of India. Pakistan asserts Kashmiris' rights to self-determination through a plebiscite in accordance with an earlier Indian statement and a UN resolution. Pakistan also maintains that by India's own logic regarding Junagadh (that the Hindu majority state should have gone to India even though it had a Muslim ruler), that Kashmir should rightfully have become part of Pakistan or at the very least the promised plebiscite should be allowed to decide the fate of the Kashmiri people. India however points to Pakistan's failure to comply to the preconditions of the plebiscite including a complete pullout of Pakistani troops from the area first. This dispute triggered wars between the two countries in 1947 and 1965, and a limited conflict in 1999. The state remains divided between the two countries by the Line of Control (LoC), which demarcates the ceasefire line agreed upon in the 1947 conflict.
Now my question is how can JUNGARADH annexation be considered correct & why is our stand on kashmir considered incorrect??? both had rulers that ruled subjects of a different religious background!!!
