Question

role of sardar patel in resolving the issues of integration of princely state & economic challenges, immediately after independence

Answer 1

After Independence he did an almost impossible job of uniting all the Princely

states into Indian Union.He had difficulties in states like Hyderabad who was ruled by Nizam and who had decided to join Pakistan but Mr Patel took military action which was necessary and with the help of Mr V.P. Menon and Mr Kanaiyalal Munshi

forced the Nizam to be part of the Indian Union though the then PM Nehru was

unwilling to take any action.Another state was Baroda and the Maharaja of Baroda wanted to flee the country.Sardar Patel had information through the intelligence that though the Maharaja’s Passport is valid his queen’s Passport needed renewal.He instructed all the Passport offices in the country not to renew the Passport so ultimately the Maharaja had to surrender and sign the instrument joining the Indian Union.There was one ruled by Shah Nawaz Bhutto in North Gujarat.Bhutto fled the country and his state became the part of Indian Union.This was an almost impossible task only Sardar Patel could do.Maharaja Hari Singh of Kashmir wanted to join India but some Muslim residents were opposing and both Gandhi and Nehru did not want to take any action.