Question

The process of merger of the State of Jammu and Kashmir with India.

(A) Attacks by Pakistan

(B) Armed groups

(C) The role of King Harisingh

(D) MergerN

Answer 1

Hari Singh, the ruling king of the State of Kashmir, had decided neither to join India nor Pakistan after India’s independence. However, Pakistan had plans to annex Kashmir to its territory. Therefore, Pakistan began to pressurise King Hari Singh. On 22nd October 1947, armed bands of intruders attacked Kashmir from the Pakistan border. King Hari Singh, who wanted to maintain independent status, asked India for help. On 27th October 1947, he consented to merge Kashmir in India and officially submitted the Agreement (Instrument of Accession) to the Government of India. The Indian Army was sent for Kashmir’s protection. It captured a significant portion of Kashmir’s territory that was acquired by the armed intruders from the Pakistani border, however, they managed to keep their hold on some portion. In 1948, India presented the Kashmir issue in ‘United Nations’. Thus, the Kashmir issue became an international issue. Even the ‘United Nations’ could not persuade Pakistan to withdraw their troops from the territory of Kashmir occupied by them. However, then the ‘National Conference Party’ decided on a plebiscite to solve the issue and to accede Kashmir to India. The constitution of Jammu and Kashmir was drafted and since then JammuKashmir has been an integral part of the Republic of India. It was accorded a special status under ‘Article 370’.