New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS) On 13 September 1948, barely a month after the country’s independence, the Indian Army launched ‘Operation Polo’ and showed the Razakars their place. After independence, it was not easy to fulfill the dream of a united and strong India. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had the responsibility to unite the country and he did it very well. The then government was successful in uniting more than 500 princely states, but it was not easy for India to add some states to itself.
British India before independence was made up of independent princely states and provinces, which were given the option of joining India or Pakistan or remaining independent. One of those who took a long time to decide was the Nizam of Hyderabad.
Most of the princely states agreed to merge, but Hyderabad refused to merge and decided to form its own country. At that time, 85 percent of the population in Hyderabad was Hindu, while the rest were Muslims. But under a well-planned conspiracy, all the high positions were occupied by Muslims. Even most of the taxes in the princely state were collected from Hindus. The royal treasury kept increasing due to these taxes imposed on the majority.
Hindus were not only being exploited economically, but were also being subjected to physical oppression. Under the patronage of the Nizam, the Razakars (Nizam’s soldiers) were going out of their way. People were openly killing people. People were being forced to convert to other religions. This oppression kept increasing and a day came when the Hindus raised their voice against it. To keep India united, the merger of Hyderabad with India became inevitable.
Meanwhile, on 11 September 1948, the founder of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, died and a day later, on 12 September, the Indian Army launched a military operation in Hyderabad. This is where Operation Polo begins.
The Indian Army led by Major General J.N. Chaudhary had started the operation in Hyderabad at 4 am on 13 September 1948. Within just five days, at 5 pm on 17 September 1948, Nizam Osman Ali announced a ceasefire and a ban on the Razakars on the radio. With this, India’s military operation in Hyderabad ended.
After this operation which lasted for five days, on 17th September at 4 pm, the army chief of Hyderabad State Major General L. Edrus along with his soldiers surrendered to Indian Major General J.N. Chaudhary. After this, the merger of Hyderabad State into the Indian Union was announced.
–IANS
AMJ/AKJ
