INTEGRATION
OF PRINCELY STATES
·
At the time of independence, there were 562
small and big princely states in India.
·
So, the task of integration of these Princely
States was given to the Sardar Patel, the first home minister.
Sardar Patel's strategy to consolidate
native states:
Atlee had declared
that British didn't intend to hand over her Paramountcy over Indian Princely
states to any government in India.
i.e. Princely states won't be transferred to independent
India, rather, it would be free to decide whether to join or not.
- · Consequently, the states began to harbour dreams of independence. Their desires were supported by Jinnah in a speech in June 1947 in an obvious attempt to keep India weak.
- · However British began to realize the complications of cold war and by now they changed their stance somewhat and Atlee said that he hoped that the states would join one dominion or the other. o Now, British wanted united India, so that it could join them in Cold War.
- · The people of the princely states had suffered side by side with the people in British India in the Indian National Movement. Both movements marched hand in hand and thus it was not possible for nationalist leaders to leave the people of the princely state on the mercy of the princes.
- · By April 1947, some states had showed wisdom and joined the constituent assembly.
- But a majority of them stayed away and some even openly declared their intent for claiming an independent status.
·
In June 1947, Patel set to the task of
integrating the states.
·
INM (Indian National Movement) had become deep
rooted in princely states as well - too strong that it was impossible for them
to ignore it. Had they ignored it, they faced possibility of internal revolts.
·
Patel made the rulers realize this by saying that
he won't be able to stop their people from revolting.
·
He appealed to all the princes whose territory
fell in India to accede to the union on 3 subjects - foreign relations, defense
and communications.
He followed a policy of stick and carrot.
- 1. The carrot was that he guaranteed the continuation of personal privileges of the princes in India.
- 2. A privy purse would be established and they would draw pensions from it.
- 3. No enquiries would be initiated against the princes as well.
·
Although there was some criticism of the
privileges accorded to the rulers, it was a small price to pay for the
integrity of the union. Consolidation of the states indeed healed the wounds of
partition to some extent.
·
25th July speech of Mountbatten to the Chamber
of Princes finally persuaded the Princes. This speech ranked as the most
significant Act of Mountbatten in India. After this, virtually all the states
except 3 signed the instrument of accession.
Travancore
·
under the Maharaja of Travancore, Chithira
Thirunal, but the real ruler was its Diwan C. P. Ramaswamy Aiyyer.
·
There was an attack on C. P. Aiyyar, and after
that it was Maharaja of Travancore which wired the government that they are
ready for accession.
Jodhpur
- A young Hindu king was there.
·
its accession was a serious issue due to its
proximity to border.
·
Jinnah also persuaded him but after tremendous
pressure from Patel, finally he signed the Instrument of Accession.
Bhopal-
·
Mainly Hindu population and ruler was Habibullah
Khan supported by Jinnah.
·
There was a revolt against the Bhopal ruler, he
faced pressure from the population and finally he signed the Instrument of
Accession.
Except Junagadh,
Jammu & Kashmir and Hyderabad, all other states acceded to India by 15
August 1947.
