The Kashmir Imbroglio - 1-B

 4. After the announcement of June 3, 1947, the Ruler of J & K was in a fix. All means of  communication of the Atate of J & K including postal and telegraph service lay through the territory, which was to be included in Pakistan. there was no independent link with the rest of India. Sri V. P. Menon tells us (vide the story of Integration of the Indian States) of the efforts of Lord Mountbatten. who flew to Kashmir for four days in the third week of June.in a bid to secure the accession of Kashmir to Pakistan. The Maharaja of Kashmir had to invent and excuse that he was ill and confined to bed; he begged to be excused of the last meaning on the forth day. In the vicious propaganda of Muslim League organizing riots all round the country, and engineering revolt of Muslim solders in Maharaja armed forces, Pakistan mounted pressure tactics.

Lord Mountbatten

5. Sardar Patel was aware of what was brewing. in this dire hour of need of India. he wanted some leader of all India statre, in whom both he and the Maharaja could repose absolute confidence in the delicate mission he  was entrusting. The choice fell on Sri M. S. Golwalkar (Sri Guruji to many). He was flown to Srinagar in a State plane on 17.10.1947. On return (on the 19th), of the Maharaja to accede to India (the full story is told in 'The Full Story is told in 'The Tragic Story if Partition by H. V. Sheshadri.)

To be Continued