Question

When India attained freedom in 1947 the regional kingdoms integrated with India. An agreement
was negotiated by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and VP Menon. Explain the Privy Purse instituted by
the Government of India.

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Answer 1

Answer:

The story begins when over 550 Princely States acceded to India on 15th August 1947. These Princely States covered 48% of the Indian territory and housed 28% of the Indian population. In addition, the cunning British Government passed legislation known as the India Independence Act, 1947 which gave the princely states the right that “They can either join the two dominions or stay separate.” Hence, the integration of India became the main agenda of the newly formed Government of India as well as of the Indian National Congress. V.P. Menon and Sardar Patel were given the task to integrate the princely states into a nation. Their diplomacy, pressure, threat and final resort to violence integrated the nation. The diplomacy gave rise to the middle ground called Privy Purses. As Dewan Jarmani Dass of Kapurthala says:

The story begins when over 550 Princely States acceded to India on 15th August 1947. These Princely States covered 48% of the Indian territory and housed 28% of the Indian population. In addition, the cunning British Government passed legislation known as the India Independence Act, 1947 which gave the princely states the right that “They can either join the two dominions or stay separate.” Hence, the integration of India became the main agenda of the newly formed Government of India as well as of the Indian National Congress. V.P. Menon and Sardar Patel were given the task to integrate the princely states into a nation. Their diplomacy, pressure, threat and final resort to violence integrated the nation. The diplomacy gave rise to the middle ground called Privy Purses. As Dewan Jarmani Dass of Kapurthala says:“Thus the rulers surrendered their sovereignty and as a quid pro quo they were granted handsome Privy Purses and other privileges.”

The story begins when over 550 Princely States acceded to India on 15th August 1947. These Princely States covered 48% of the Indian territory and housed 28% of the Indian population. In addition, the cunning British Government passed legislation known as the India Independence Act, 1947 which gave the princely states the right that “They can either join the two dominions or stay separate.” Hence, the integration of India became the main agenda of the newly formed Government of India as well as of the Indian National Congress. V.P. Menon and Sardar Patel were given the task to integrate the princely states into a nation. Their diplomacy, pressure, threat and final resort to violence integrated the nation. The diplomacy gave rise to the middle ground called Privy Purses. As Dewan Jarmani Dass of Kapurthala says:“Thus the rulers surrendered their sovereignty and as a quid pro quo they were granted handsome Privy Purses and other privileges.”In general terms, Privy Purses were a bargain, majorly a monetary bargain to uphold the sovereignty of the Indian state. In his own words, Sardar Patel said that it is a small price for the integration of India.

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