In a recent talk in Parliament, Home Minister Amit Shah criticized India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, for decisions related to Kashmir. Shah said Nehru made two big mistakes: stopping the fight when India was winning and taking the issue to the United Nations. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury responded, saying Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was ready to let go of Kashmir for Hyderabad, but Nehru wanted it in India.
Let’s go back in time to understand why these decisions were made. After the British left, places like Jammu and Kashmir and Hyderabad didn’t want to join India or Pakistan. Patel, who was okay with a possibly unfriendly Hyderabad joining Pakistan, changed his mind when Junagadh joined Pakistan. Meanwhile, Hyderabad, led by the Nizam, wanted to be independent.
At first, Patel agreed to a temporary agreement with Hyderabad. Talks continued, but as trouble grew in Hyderabad, Indian forces went in during Operation Polo in 1948, and the Nizam surrendered.
The situation in Kashmir was complicated too. Hari Singh, the leader there, initially wanted independence. In 1947, as Pakistan accepted Junagadh, Nehru wrote to Patel about Kashmir’s worsening condition. In October, what India believes were armed infiltrators from Pakistan entered Kashmir. Facing problems, Hari Singh asked for India’s help and joined India.
Shah’s criticism is mainly about why India didn’t keep fighting Pakistan and instead went to the UN. Reasons include pressure from the British, fear that the conflict could spread beyond Kashmir, rising costs, and hope that the UN would help solve the issue. However, the UN’s response surprised India.
The ceasefire, managed by the UN, became a problem. While India sees it as a missed chance, Pakistan thought it favored India. Nehru, who initially didn’t like going to the UN, refused calls for a vote until Pakistani intruders left Kashmir. The complicated history shows the tough choices and events that shaped the Kashmir situation.