Who were those whom Nehru asked to go and Patel stopped and said - surely you are not going to Pakistan

It is believed that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was a little indifferent in the beginning regarding the merger of Kashmir in India. Patel, who was trying to unite the rest of the princely states of the country, got the inspiration from Jinnah to think about the merger of Kashmir, a state ruled by a Muslim majority and a Hindu ruler, into India.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in the first week of October 1947 N.B. The map was spread in front of Gadgil. Pointed towards the Jammu-Pathankot area. The only road that connects Jammu and Kashmir to India passes through Gurdaspur in this area. This road, about 100 kilometers long, was not even suitable for the journey of a bullock cart.

Sardar said that it should be ready within eight months. Work-Energy Minister Gadgil said that the rivers, streams and mountains falling in between are not visible in the map. The work may not be completed in such a short time. Patel insisted that the work has to be completed in any case within the stipulated time.

Sardar was alert about the danger from Pakistan

Sardar was actually very serious about Kashmir. He was aware of the danger from Pakistan in the coming days. At the time of determining the boundary line, Pakistan had tried its best that Gurdaspur should not go to the part of India. In reality, there was a flaw in his intention regarding Kashmir from the very beginning. By including Gurdaspur in his territory, his intention was to cut off India from Jammu and Kashmir by road.

Sardar quickly renovated this road. On his initiative, many air flights were diverted and connected to Delhi-Srinagar. Wireless and telegraph plants were established on the Amritsar-Jammu link. Telephone lines were drawn between Pathankot-Jammu. About ten thousand laborers were brought from Rajasthan by special trains. Floodlights were installed to continue working at night. Dispensary-market and necessary arrangements were made. Then this important road got ready from time to time.

At one time Patel was indifferent on the question of Kashmir

It is believed that Iron Man Sardar Patel was initially 'indifferent' about Kashmir. Sardar, who was busy weaving the country's 554 princely states into one thread, was quoted on some occasion by his most trusted secretary V.P. Menon that we have no time to think of Kashmir, but of the Hindu majority population and the Muslim ruler. Jinnah's approval of the merger of Junagadh with Pakistan made Sardar vocal for Kashmir.

In the coming days, Junagadh and Kashmir and Hyderabad all three became an integral part of India and Sardar's role in this work was unmatched. VP Menon was an able and reliable ally of Sardar who played an important role in the integration of princely states. In the matter of Kashmir, Menon was engaged in completing the mission with full dedication as Sardar's representative. It was Menon who obtained the historic letter dated October 26, 1947, from Raja Hari Singh for the accession of Kashmir to India.

Jinnah's decision changed Patel's thinking on Kashmir

Rajmohan Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, in his book, "Patel A Life", refers to Patel's letter to Defense Minister Sardar Baldev Singh on 13 September 1947, in which he indicated that if Kashmir decided to join Pakistan If it is, they will accept this truth, but it was this date that changed Patel's thinking about Kashmir. Coincidentally, on this day Mohammad Ali Jinnah approved the merger of the Hindu-dominated but Muslim Nawab-ruled princely state of Junagadh with Pakistan.

As soon as he got information about this, Sardar said that if Hindu majority Junagadh can be taken by Pakistan, then why can't Sardar be interested in Muslim majority and Hindu princely state of Kashmir? From this day itself, Kashmir was included in its priorities. He got Justice Mehr Chand Mahajan of Punjab High Court on leave for eight months and made King Hari Singh of Kashmir the Prime Minister.

Patel's persistence led to timely military intervention in Kashmir

On October 22, Pakistan attacked Kashmir. On October 23, 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 Srinagar was plunged into darkness. On the evening of 24 October, the appeal for the help of desperate Raja Hari Singh reached the Government of India. On October 25, in the meeting of the Defense Committee of the Cabinet, Sardar Patel lobbied strongly for the help of the King of Kashmir.

Before this meeting, he had also taken the consent of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi ji wanted to prove the theory of two nation wrong through Kashmir. Pandit Nehru said that Raja Hari Singh should take Sheikh Abdullah along with him to fight the enemy. The chairman of the committee, Mountbatten, said that how can the Indian army go to a state which has not merged with India? Sardar Patel said very strongly whether the merger has happened or not. Nothing can come in the way of military aid to Kashmir.

Finally it was decided that Menon should immediately leave for Srinagar. Weapons should also be sent there. On October 25, Menon found only silence in Srinagar. The state police was nowhere to be found. Sheikh Abdullah, Mahajan and Deputy Prime Minister of Kashmir Batra were present along with Nehru, Sardar Patel, Baldev Singh in the meeting on 26 October at Pandit Nehru's residence. Sheikh and Mahajan said that Kashmir urgently needed military help. Nehru was in a dilemma even after having a deep attachment towards Kashmir.

This upset the moneylender. Mahajan said that if India does not help, then Kashmir will know the conditions of Jinnah. Nehru got upset on this. He asked Mahajan to leave the meeting. Mahajan immediately got up, but Sardar firmly stopped him and said, "Surely you are not going to Pakistan." Then Nehru also recovered from indecision. Menon was asked to return to Kashmir immediately and inform the Maharaja that Indian troops were on the way.