Maharaja Hari Singh Jamwal of Jammu & Kashmir speaking at the British parliament House in London
Source of photograph: INTERNET
Deciphering the Vengeance of the British Imperial power against Maharaja Hari Singh Ji and its state subjects
Before I come to the topic, I would start with a story of a person belonging to the himalayan region. He was intelligent, strong, good-looking and powerful as if he was near and dear to the Gods. The man’s hold of the region and loyalty of its great fellow citizens made him ruler of the geographical region. Slowly and gradually the extent of his state spread beyond the himalayan region to the karakoram and the Hindukush regions. He became the king of the largest state among the states. Seeing the mighty power and the resolute determination of the King, the treacherous enemies across the continent became jealous of him and carved an evil plan. They injected a potentially lethal drug into him, while he was unaware. Knowing the intent of the enemy, his loyal ayurvedacharyas gave him decoction to save him, but the poison had done significant harm and resulted in cancer on one side of his face. He had lost his beauty and there was a fear of its spread. The part of his face had to be cut off to save him. This led to scars on his face, but could not bend down his determination. He still is fighting cancer for the last century. His faith in Mahadev and Adishakti gives him inner strength.
This “person” here is akin to “The erstwhile state of Jammu Kashmir Ladakh Tibet and Gilgit Baltistan”. The “enemy” here is akin to the “British Imperial power”, “poison” is akin to “Pakistan, ISI and Jihadi elements”, “cancer” is “terror infrastructure in Pakistan occupied regions of Jammu, and Kashmir” and the “scar” is the “Line of control”.
With the grace and blessings of Ma Bhagwati AdiShakti Mata Rani Vaishno Devi, the state of the erstwhile state of “Jammu Kashmir Ladakh Tibet and Gilgit Baltistan” reached its glory and became the largest princely state of Imperial India under the Dogra Maharaja Gulab Singh and Maharaja Ranbir Singh. The successor Dogra Maharaja Hari Singh Ji went to Mayo College in Ajmer at the age of 13, and later went to the British-run Imperial Cadet Corps at Dehradun for military training and London for higher studies. Although Princely states were in agreement with the British Imperial forces to send their strong manpower, material and money, on the other side, the feeling of freedom, and Swarajya was inherent in the blood. With this nationalistic feeling in his heart and mind, Maharaja Hari Singh, the ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, participated in the First Round Table Conference in London in 1930 and spoke on behalf of Indian Princes and proposed for the inclusion of Princely states in an “All India Federation” and equal status for Indians within the British Commonwealth of Nations. This unusual dare (nationalistic and patriotic speech) for honor and equality for Indians and favoring India’s independence was unpalatable for the British Government or British Imperial power and they unleashed a series of conspiracies against him. The British Government or its political department started a full-blown campaign to destabilize the government of Maharaja.
MahaRaja Hari Singh Ji
Shortly after his speech, Kashmir agitation of 1931 was hatched with Abdul Qadeer (not native of Kashmir region) being one of the sleeper cells (working for Imperials) of that era. Abdul Qadeer, an employee of an English army officer, Major Butt of the Yorkshire Regiment then posted at Peshawar, hailed from Swat. As per G.M Lone, Major Butt told Qadeer: ‘Tell your God to free Kashmir from this oppressive rule’. Because of his seditious” speech and activity, Abdul Qadeer was arrested on the 25th of June, 1931 under section 124-A and 153 of the Ranbir Penal Code. On 13th July 1931, during Abdul Qadir’s trial in the Central Jail of Kashmir, a violent mob tried to interfere in the proceedings and snatched guns from the police. The police had to open fire leading to casualties. This became a reason for the separatist ideology which was initiated and nurtured by the Imperial powers. This led to the launch of many leaders and jihadis with separatist ideology. Wakefield, the Minister of the Political Department of the state was acting as the agent of the British Government in Delhi. The Young Men Muslim Association of Jammu and Muslims Conference leaders in Kashmir were guided by Wakefield. The role played by Mr. Wakefield in encouraging the agitation in the state was also highlighted by many other witnesses before the Glancy Enquiry Commission. This undercurrent continued during the time of partition and paved its way to the incessant Jihadi elements even after 10 decades.
“Operation Gulmarg”, an attack by lashkars (Pashtuns led by Pakistani Army) was a plan approved in June 1947 by Mountbatten (not my Lord), signed on 20 August by Gen Messervy (Chief of Pakistani Army) and finally executed on 22 October 1947. This is also part of Vengeance of the British Imperial power against Maharaja Hari Singh Ji and its state. It was only because of the sacrifice of Brigadier Rajinder Singh Jamwal and the J&K state forces that the advance of these Jihadis backed by British Imperial power was slowed before the arrival of the Indian Army.
Operation Datta Khel (Gilgit rebellion), a coup d’état was executed in November 1947, under the command of a British officer Major William Alexander Brown MBE. He was in touch with Sir George Cunningham, Governor of the North-West Frontier Province. Major Brown supervised and assisted Gilgit Scouts stationed at Gilgit Agency (in today’s Gilgit−Baltistan) to rebel against the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, soon after it acceded to the Indian Union. Coup d’etat, overthrew the governor Ghansara Singh of Gilgit. Gilgit Agency became a part of Pakistani-administered Jammu and Kashmir following the First Indo-Pakistani War. Major Brown was awarded the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 1948. Britain wanted to build its base here as part of the Great Game against Russia. The disintegration of the USSR and the present war between Russia and Ukraine (backed by NATO and USA) should be considered an extension of the Great Game to hold the regional superiority in the region.
Maharaja Hari Singh Ji wanted to get into negotiations with the Government of India. He also sends numerous envoys for many urgent diplomatic, military and logistic requirements in the State. His personal requests and suggestions from his emissaries were not considered and ignored by the then Indian leadership. The leadership for reasons best known to them had clearly requested Meher Chand Mahajan (Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir) to pressurize the Maharaja and delay the accession till Sheikh Abdullah Sahib is handed over the reins. At the sametime Maharaja Hari Singh Ji was also under great pressure from Imperial British to join Pakistan; a part of “The Great Game” against Russia.
IMF has been giving financial assistance (money) to Pakistan since 1958 and has helped 24 times till date. Following each military conflict of Pakistan with India, starting from 1965, 1971, 1999 and at present times (2025), IMF has come to Pakistan’s rescue and supported the rogue state to build its terror network and military infrastructure. All these wars were contemplated primarily to bleed the state of Jammu and Kashmir, in particular. In a recent conversation (interview) with Sky News’s Yalda Hakim, Pakistan’s defence minister, Khwaja Asif, admitted that Pakistan has been funding and supporting terrorist groups for decades, particularly during the US-led wars in Afghanistan. Asif acknowledged Pakistan’s “dirty work” done for the US, West and Britain, but described it as a mistake that led to significant consequences for Pakistan. Additionally, the USA has helped (throughout the 1960s) Pakistan in training, setting research institutes, developing nuclear infrastructure and acquiring its first commercial nuclear power plant, Kanupp-I, from Canada in 1965. With such profound facts, the rationale that all these events are not interconnected and to look these events separately would be an ostrich response to the incriminating evidence.
The recent ruthless attack of Pakistan army and ISI (Pakistan’s intelligence agency) using military drones, missiles and artillery guns on civilian areas, temples, Gurudwaras in cities, especially in Jammu (Dogra Land) situated near the international border is a testimony to the fact that creation of Pakistan by the British Imperial power is a “Military Strategy” to “Bleed India with a Thousand Cuts”. This is a strategy which focuses on weakening India through a series of covert, low-intensity warfare tactics using insurgents at multiple locations, exploiting border regions like Jammu (in particular) and Kashmir, and instigating religio-political turmoil.
References:
1. Wakhlu, S.N. (2004). Hari Singh: The Maharaja, the Man, the Times : a Biography of Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu and Kashmir State, 1895-1961. National Publishing House. p. 32. ISBN 978-81-214-0231-6.
2. Remember Maharaja Hari Singh. Daily Excellsior. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
3. “ISLAMABAD: Two British officers played key role: N. Areas accession to Pakistan”. DAWN.COM. 1 – November 2001. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
4. Brig Vijay Sagar Dheman. Maharaja Hari Singh wanted to be independent? By Daily Excelsior September 13, 2022.
5. G.M Lone. THE UNFORGOTTEN CHAPTERS OF KASHMIR HISTORY. Kashmir Life KASHMIRIAT 13 JULY 1931
7. Munawar, Harris (2011-07-13). “What has America done for Pakistan?”. Dawn. Retrieved 2022-04-25.
8. Kanwal Singh. British takeover of Gilgit in 1935. IJARIIE2022;8(6):96-102
Author:
Dr. Rahul Gupta
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), M.Ch. (Paediatric Surgery)
FMAS, FIMSA, AFAMS, FIAGES, FIAPS, FPESI, FALS-Robotcs
Professor,
Department of Paediatric Surgery
SMS Medical College, Jaipur
Beautiful
Thanks Sir
Excellent post. The myth buster
Thanks Sir
Great and sincere effort. You can imagine the plight of Maharaja Hari Singh ji whose religion was justice and who was so honest that he never took anything which was not his own. When he became Maharaja he gave away the entire Mubarak Mandi Palaces to the Government in 1925. The value of the palaces may be in trillions now.
If he did not want wealth and his religion and faith were justice then why would he do anything which would go against these two most important traits of a person, faith and wealth.
Message from Maj Gen GS Jamwal
Excellent writing.. Great job
Thanks
Very well researched and penned , the history of Heavenly Kashmir which was turned into hell by the Seeds sown by the British and dirty politics of the then leaders and Pakistani terror attacks. The separatists need to be eliminated once for all.
Thanks Sir