Operation Polo: When Sardar Patel used his 'iron fist' to include Hyderabad in India

New Delhi, Sep 16: The long-cherished dream of freedom became a reality for India in 1947 after the passing of the Indian Independence Act 1947, but what lied ahead were many obstacles and challenges.

At the time of independence, there were 560+ Princely States which were given the option to decide whether they wanted to accede to India or Pakistan or neither. The challenge for integrating those states to India majorly lied in the hands of Sardar Patel.

With his iron will he ensured to accede the princely states to either India or Pakistan by 1948, except for the wealthiest and most powerful principality, Hyderabad. On September 17, 1948, the Indian Armed Forces invaded the Nizam-ruled princely state, annexing it into the Indian Union and if not for Patel, the integration would not have been a cakewalk.

The Nizam's Refusal

The last Nizam of the princely state of Hyderabad Osman Ali Khan Asaf Jah VII had turned down Patel's request to join India. He had declared Hyderabad as an independent nation on the day India attained independence on August 15, 1947.

The Nizam's Hyderabad State, at 82,698 square miles, was bigger than the provinces of Bengal (77,442) and Bombay (76,443). In fact, it was much larger than then England and Scotland put together (80,752).

The areas under its ruling included present-day Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

Hence, this was a cause of worry to India. "Hyderabad is, as it were, situated in India's belly. How can the belly breathe if it is cut off from the main body?" the first Home Minister had remarked over Hyderabad's refusal to join India.

In 1948, the last Viceroy and first Governor General of India Lord Mountbatten came up with the proposal of the Heads of Agreement deal, giving the status of an autonomous dominion nation under India. While India signed, the Nizam remained firm on his demand that he wants complete independence or the status of dominion under the British Commonwealth of Nations.

The Formation of Razakars

On the other hand, the Nizam formed Razakars (a paramilitary wing of the MIM), led by Kasim Razvi. They were tasked to silence the voices which call for the merger of Hyderabad with India. In a short period, there were mass-murders, rapes and kidnaps of Hindus.

Hyderabad violated all clauses of the agreement related to Standstill agreement as it intrigued with Pakistan. In fact, the Nizam gave 15 million pounds loan and Pakistan helped the princely state to build a semi-private army. This was when Patel started losing patience and communal violence only added to his worries.

According to writer AG Noorani, although Indian Prime Minister Nehru considered state of Hyderabad was 'full of dangerous possibilities', he favoured talks and considered military option as the last resort. However, Patel took a hard line and had no patience with talks.

By then, Kasim Razvi, who headed the private army of the Nizam, was calling the shots. He had assumed that Hyderabad issue might be referred to the UN like Kashmir. However, Patel and Indian nationalists denied that Hyderabad had "any right in international law."

5-Day War

As talks failed, India started Military operations under Operation Polo on 13 September 1948 to annex Hyderabad to the Union of India. It just ended in five days on September 17 as India took control of the state after 36,000 Indian troops entered the Nizam state.

Interestingly, India decided to take control of the princely state even as the United Nation's Security Council began discussions on whether to hear Hyderabad's appeal. As India entered the state, the first Home Minister had said, it was "no longer an international affair," but "a States Ministry function."

Had Patel not shown courage and taken timely decision, probably, Hyderabad might have have remained an unresolved issue like Kashmir.

His decisive leadership earned the reputation of 'Iron Man' as he maintained internal stability as Home Minister in the wake of the partition of the country.

As the Centre is celebrating the 75 years of Liberation of Hyderabad, we should remember the contribution of Patel who had successfully accomplished the task of integrating 565 Princely States into the Union of India within such a short period.