Integration of Junagadh

The event

Junagadh was a princely state of British India, located in what is now Gujarat, outside but under the suzerainty of British India.

In the independence and partition of British India of 1947, the 552 princely states were given a choice to either join the new Dominion of India or the newly formed state of Pakistan.

The Nawab of Junagadh, Muhammad Mahabat Khanji III, a Muslim whose ancestors had ruled Junagadh and small principalities for some two hundred years, decided that Junagadh should become part of Pakistan, much to the displeasure of many of the people of the state, an overwhelming majority of whom were Hindus. The Nawab acceded to the Dominion of Pakistan on 15 September 1947, against the advice of Lord Mountbatten, arguing that Junagadh joined Pakistan by sea. The principality of Babariawad and Sheikh of Mangrol reacted by claiming independence from Junagadh and accession to India. When Pakistan accepted the Nawab's Instrument of Accession on 16 September, the Government of India was outraged that Muhammad Ali Jinnah could accept the accession of Junagadh despite his argument that Hindus and Muslims could not live as one nation. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel believed that if Junagadh was permitted to go to Pakistan, it would exacerbate the communal tension already simmering in Gujarat.

The princely state was surrounded on all of its land borders by India, with an outlet onto the Arabian Sea. Although the territory of Junagadh was geographically not adjoining the existing Pakistan, it had a link by sea through the Veraval Port of Junagadh. The unsettled conditions in Junagadh had led to a cessation of all trade with India and the food position became precarious. With the region in crisis, the Nawab, fearing for his life, felt forced to flee to Karachi with his family and his followers, and there he established a provisional government.

Vallabhbhai Patel offered Pakistan time to reverse its acceptance of the accession and to hold a plebiscite in Junagadh. Samaldas Gandhi formed a government-in-exile, the Aarzi Hukumat (in Urdu: Aarzi: Temporary, Hukumat: Government) of the people of Junagadh. Eventually, Patel ordered the forcible annexation of Junagadh's three principalities. Junagadh's state government, facing financial collapse and lacking forces with which to resist Indian force, invited the Government of India to take control. A plebiscite was conducted in December, in which approximately 99.95% of the people chose India over Pakistan.

Referendum

A plebiscite was held on 20 February 1948, in which all but 91 out of 190,870 who voted (from an electorate of 201,457) voted to join India, i.e. 99.95% of the population voted to join India.

Junagadh became part of the Indian Saurashtra State until November 1, 1956, when Saurashtra became part of Bombay State. Bombay State was split into the linguistic states of Gujarat and Maharashtra in 1960, and Junagadh is now one of the modern districts of Saurasthra in Gujarat.

The nation's stats

They mostly spoke Gujarati, along with some Urdu and Sindhi. They believed in Hinduism. It was a monarchy that had lasted between ~1747–1947 and became a Princely state (?–1947).

Also see

1. India
2. Integration of Bantva Manavadar
3. Integration of the Kingdom of Cochin
4. Integration of the Kingdom of Travancore
5. Integration of the Mahar Rajadom of Kashmir and Jammur
6. Integration of Dadra and Nagar Haveli
7. Integration of Goa
8. Integration of Puducherry

Sources

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annexation_of_Junagadh
2. http://www.slideshare.net/discissol/integration-of-junagadh-and-kashmir
3. http://keweenawhomenursing.net/reading/political-integration-of-india-political-integration-of-india-indian-integration-of-junagadh-kashm.pdf
4. http://www.countercurrents.org/mujtaba310111.htm
5. http://www.wow.com/wiki/Indian_integration_of_Junagadh
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annexation_of_Junagadh
7. http://hellojunagadh.com/history_introduction.aspx
8. http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl1821/18210760.htm