Following the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi on January 30, 1948, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhai Patel put their differences aside and decided, unequivocally, that to make Gandhi's vision of India a reality, they needed to work together. Ramachandra Guha, the noted historian, wrote in his book 'India After Gandhi' that Nehru wrote to Sardar Vallabhai Patel, offering his condolences and making a plea to put their differences aside, to which Sardar Patel replied in the affirmative. Together, they formed perhaps the most formidable political duo in modern Indian history. Vallabhai Patel's iron fist and Jawaharlal's finesse in handling political issues would iron out the last stragglers of resistance against the Independence of India. <\/span>
<\/p>A City Burning From Within:<\/b> <\/p>
The problem with a monarchy that looks down upon peasants is always the same. Sooner or later, the common folk will band together and rise up against the landlords and the aristocracy. In 1945, the peasants came together in a communist revolution of sorts, targeting their oppressors who enjoyed a luxurious life on the backs of their hard work. Not only did this cause a lot of pain to the Nizams, it set off alarm bells back in Washington D.C. as well; the Central Intelligence Agency kept a close watch on the events in Hyderabad, worried that Hyderabad would be captured by the communists should India try to make a move and capture the region. The CIA and by extension America would continue their obsession with the communists for decades to come, but that is a story for another time. <\/p>
Now, I want to take this opportunity to tell you that this article about Hyderabad's liberation is going to be as uncensored as possible. History is often drenched in blood and no country has ever won its independence without bloodshed. As always, the innocents are the worst victims of any war or revolution, and it was no different in Hyderabad. <\/p>
With the threat of annexation appearing imminent when it was revealed that India would finally be independent, the Nizams declared themselves an independent state, unfurling their own flags on August 15, 1947. The communist uprising from two years ago seemed crushed, but the resentment was still there, and the Razakars, the men who crushed the uprising, only added rocket fuel to the already raging fire. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1505727386870","data":"59bf95fa15972"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1505727388920","data":"
A (not so Mini) Militia:<\/b> <\/p>
Founded by Qasim Razvi to support the Nizams and resist integration into the Dominion of India, the Razakars quickly - not to mention brutally - crushed any rebellion within the state. They raped and murdered women, shot down dissent and carried out what can only be described as war crimes against the common folk, the majority of whom were Hindu, an unsurprising fact considering the state of Hyderabad had 85% Hindu population. However, such was the brutality of the Razakars that they did not even spare popular Muslim voices in Hyderabad who wanted to merge with India. <\/p>
As is the case with any oppressor throughout history, the Razakars believed their right to punish and murder would ensure they would win for years on end. The problem with oppressors is that they refuse to see themselves fail and be subjected to the same kind of treatment, but when it does happen, it is always the innocent folk who are the victims first. Hyderabad, it would seem, would soon find out. <\/p>
A Shaky Alliance:<\/b> <\/p>
Back in New Delhi, Sardar Patel was drawing up plans to annex Hyderabad. On November 29, 1947, The Dominion of India and The Princely State of Hyderabad would sign an agreement called 'Standstill Agreement', a formal truce between the two states, which had the following conditions<\/p>
1. Status Quo will be maintained<\/p>
2. There will be no military action for one year post the signing<\/p>
3. India will handle the Nizam's foreign affairs <\/p>
4. Any regiment of the Indian army in Hyderabad would have to leave. <\/p>
It would seem that the Nizams had struck a gold mine of opportunity, or so they thought. The people on both sides believed that the year would be used to plan their next moves carefully. <\/p>
What they didn't know that neither side honoured the agreement. <\/p>
The Indian state did their best to isolate Hyderabad economically, while the Nizam - who claimed to want Independence - sent a loan of 15000 pounds to Jinnah, who took his money and promptly ignored him instead of sending an offer to merge. <\/p>
Hyderabad, following the signing of the agreement, had descended into full-blown chaos. It was during this period the Razakars were formed and crushed everyone in their way. Mohammed Ali Jinnah, I believe, saw the situation and knew which way the wind was blowing.<\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1505728819258","data":"59bfa3578f231"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1505728821519","data":"
Operation Polo:<\/b> <\/p>
Named after the 17 Polo grounds around Hyderabad, Operation Polo was put into effect following a Razakar attack on an Indian Police Post in Chillakallu Village. The Indian Army, alarmed by the development, sent in the Poona Horse Unit to investigate, upon whom the Razakars also fired at will. This may have been the straw that broke the camel's back, but Sardar Patel was waiting for an opportunity to move against Hyderabad and finally annex it. So when news broke about the incident, it was time. <\/p>
September 13, 1948: <\/p>
I often wonder what it would have been like to be standing on the battlements of Fort Naldurg and see the overwhelming force of The Indian Army coming straight for you and yours. The battle of the fort would deal the Hyderabadi forces heavy casualties, forcing them to retreat and regroup. Large swathes of land around the fort were captured by the Indian forces, and the troops would prepare for the battle ahead. <\/p>
September 14, 1948: <\/p>
In Aurangabad, The Tempest aircraft was prepared to go into service. The Tempest was a British warplane used primarily in World War 2 and was quite effective at engaging hostiles on the ground. The Nizams, who had no aerial superiority to speak of, would have no option but to entrench themselves against certain death from above. <\/p>
September 15, 1948: <\/p>
When you're in the infantry and you can't see the bullets coming out of the sky, nightmares are guaranteed, provided you survive that long. <\/p>
In Latur, the Tempest brought the fury of lead and air with them, quickly making short work of the troops on the ground. The decisive victory at Latur sounded the death knell of the Nizam's grip over Hyderabad. It seemed, following the battle, that there was no scope for victory. <\/p>
September 16, 1948: <\/p>
The Indian Army laughs off a poor attempt at an ambush and continues to push on. Meanwhile, back in the capital, the Nizam summons his prime minister Laik Ali, who like any enterprising politician who wants to save his own skin, submitted his resignation along with the rest of the cabinet's, to The Nizam. <\/p>
September 17, 1948: <\/p>
The Army captures Bidar (yes, of the taking sand to Bidar fame). Hyderabad is surrounded from all sides and the Nizam is aghast. Such people, who have lived their entire lives crushing folk under their heel, do not easily eat the humble pie. On a radio broadcast on which he announced the surrender, The Last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan, said that he was surrendering under duress. By the next day, September 18, 1948, the surrender was absolute, but the consequences were to soon follow. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1505730020975","data":"59bfa3836af14"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1505730023042","data":"
A Violent Aftermath:<\/b> <\/p>
What happened in Hyderabad in the year 1949 was classified until recently. There were rumours, whispers of unspeakable atrocities, gruesome murders and much worse. A panel put together to investigate the issue were spooked enough to bury the report behind the nightmarish red tape of the Indian bureaucracy. If it wasn't for the usual Indian jugaad<\/i> and the RTI act, the report would have probably never come to light. <\/p>
The panel was led by Pandit Sunderlal, and the members came from mixed faiths. Called The Sunderlal Report, it goes into the gory details of rapes and murders of Muslims - revenge for the Nizams rule - by the majority Hindu population who were egged on to commit the atrocities by, I'm sorry to say this, The Indian Army. <\/p>
The Army, the report says, egged on the local Hindu populace to loot and murder the Muslims in the region, the Army themselves went on to murder women and children of Muslims with what I can only speculate to be malicious pettiness. It is important for an army, after all, to reduce their enemies to something sub-human, so killing them becomes easier. Problem is, this attitude continues even after a war. <\/p>
You can read Frontline's fantastically detailed article on the Sunderlal Report by clicking here. <\/a><\/p>"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1505730765122","data":"It is important for us to learn from our own history, lest we make the same mistakes again. The annexation of Hyderabad was an extremely bloody affair, no matter what they tell you in your school's history books. The dehumanisation of the enemy and the rape of women and murder of children is common for any side that is drunk on power and privilege. In the Nizam state, the Razakars were the ones with power and privilege, with Osman Ali Khan turning a blind eye to their atrocities. When they lost the war, the power shifted to the Indian Army and the Indian state, which led to similar atrocities, just the roles were reversed. <\/p>
For this end, I did not want to censor anything in this write-up. To become better humans, it is important that we learn empathy and understanding, and that we stand up for what is right. Otherwise, all is lost, and we live with the animals. <\/p>
And thus, after years of blood, Hyderabad became a part of India and became home to us. On the 69th anniversary of the Annexation of Hyderabad, let us take a moment and remember the struggles and the people who lost their lives, fighting for the Hyderabad of their dreams. Their contributions will not be forgotten. <\/p>
Special thanks to The Quint and The Hindu, as well as Frontline for helping me research this topic thoroughly. <\/i><\/p>"}]