the war of 1947; Know why the Indian Army had stopped before taking entire Kashmir

Indian Army occupied Kashmir as far as Kashmiri is spoken, know why (file photo)

Why did the Indian army stop midway instead of taking the whole of Kashmir? This question was asked by the famous journalist Kuldip Nayyar, many years after the battle with Lieutenant General Kulwant Singh, who led the Kashmir campaign, the general’s answer was, “The Prime Minister asked him to go only to the area where Kashmiri is spoken Nehru was not willing to go to the Punjabi speaking area (Ghulam Kashmir).

In the last week of September 1947, Pandit Nehru received information that the Pakistani army was preparing to enter Kashmir in large numbers, briefing Sardar Patel, Nehru said that winter is near, a big step at the earliest to save Kashmir Will have to lift He said that Kashmir should be merged with India as soon as possible, with the help of Sheikh Abdullah, Sardar could not oppose Nehru’s opinion on this occasion even after his opposite thinking about Sheikh.

Patel had also advised Raja Hari Singh to cooperate with Sheikh

Sardar wrote to Raja Hari Singh on 2 October, “Sheikh Abdullah is going to come to Delhi soon, talk to him and find a way out from his side, how can I proceed after that,” Sheikh K. After several meetings with him, Sardar wrote to Mahajan, who had till then held the responsibility of Prime Minister of Kashmir, that Sheikh was ready to cooperate to counter the external threat, he wanted to be given the power to do something effective, for this, Sardar considered Sheikh to be understandable. While retaining the status of Raja Hari Singh, he advised the Sheikh’s share in power.

Pak attack in tribal guise

Kashmir was attacked on 22 October even before Mahajan got this letter. About five thousand attackers entered Kashmir in more than three hundred lorries from Pakistan. A huge quantity of arms and ammunition were with them. Apparently they were tribals, but in reality under the guise of tribals, Pakistani soldiers were rapidly approaching Srinagar. On the same day the attackers captured Muzaffarabad and set the city on fire. The command of the princely army was in the hands of Lieutenant Narayan Singh. Muslim soldiers of his battalion shot him.

The Muslim officers-soldiers of the army, whose number was more than two thousand, met the attackers. In reality they were helping the Pakistanis in the form of a forward squad. Ironically, a few days back, Raja had asked Lt Col Narayan Singh Singh whether he could trust his Muslim allies. Narayan Singh’s reply was, “More than Dogra.” Chief of Staff Brigadier Rajendra Singh, with only one hundred and fifty of his soldiers, took the front to stop the attackers. In Uri, he fought valiantly and kept the Pakistanis from moving forward for two days. They did not want to allow the attackers to reach Baramulla. From there the entry to Srinagar would have been easy. Brigadier Rajendra Singh and all his companions were martyred, but their contribution in saving Srinagar by stopping the enemies for two days was amazing.

Desperate king appealed for help

On 23 October, Mahajan wrote to Sardar that our Muslim army and police have either left us or are not cooperating. On 24 October, the attackers captured the Mahura power house and covered Srinagar with darkness. By night, he was only forty miles away from the capital, Srinagar. The Indian government came to know about the attack on the evening of 24 October through an appeal for help from the desperate Raja Hari Singh. At the same time, this information reached the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, General Lockhart, through his Pakistani colleague. On October 25, in the meeting of the Defense Committee of the Cabinet, Sardar Patel strongly advocated the help of the King of Kashmir. Before this meeting, he had also taken the consent of Mahatma Gandhi.

Gandhiji wanted to prove the two-nation theory wrong through Kashmir. Pandit Nehru said that Raja Hari Singh should take Sheikh Abdullah along to fight the enemy. The chairman of the committee, Mountbatten said that a state which has not merged with India, how can the Indian army go there? Sardar Patel said very firmly whether the merger took place or not. Nothing can stop the military aid to Kashmir. In the end it was decided that Menon should immediately leave for Srinagar. Weapons should also be sent there.

Nehru overcame indecision on Patel’s frankness and Sheikh’s persuasion

On October 25, Menon found only silence in Srinagar, the state police was nowhere to be found. Some volunteers of the National Conference were stationed on the streets with sticks. The king was confused by being alone. Mahajan was disappointed. Menon advised Hari Singh to leave Srinagar at the earliest with family and jewellery-cash and reach Jammu. Menon was in Delhi again the next morning. An important meeting was held on 26 October at Pandit Nehru’s residence at 3 pm. Nehru, Sardar Patel, Baldev Singh along with Sheikh Abdullah, Mahajan and Kashmir’s Deputy Prime Minister Batra were present in the meeting. Sheikh and Mahajan said that Kashmir needs immediate military help. Nehru’s hesitation made Mahajan uncomfortable, even after Mountbatten’s stand and deep affection for Kashmir.

Mahajan said that if India does not help, then Kashmir will know Jinnah’s conditions. Nehru’s reaction to this was intense. He asked Mahajan to leave from there, Mahajan stood up to leave. Sardar stopped them, said, “Surely you are not going to Pakistan.” Sardar had already made up his mind. Nehru was overcome with indecision on Sardar’s frankness and Sheikh’s persuasion. Menon was asked to immediately return to Kashmir and inform the Maharaja that the Indian army was on the way, but Mountbatten, despite the Sardar’s opposition, agreed to obtain a letter of accession from the Raja before the army could be dispatched. .