Operation Polo: merger of an independent prince state, most decisive military action of the integrity of India

New -Delhi, September 16 (IANS). The year 1948 and date September 17. Hyderabad’s Nizam Asaf Jah VII declared a ceasefire about all military operations against the Indian army, which entered Hyderabad with the intention of joining Hyderabad to the Indian Union. The year of 1947 was the year of India independence. A nation was born, after which a new hope runs into the veins after centuries of bondage. But in the midst of this happiness, there was also a deep confusion. A great prince state, Hyderabad, dreams of being independent in the middle of the map of India. This story is about dividing the same dream and one from India. The Prince State Hyderabad, founded in 1724, was one of the richest and largest prince states in India. The area was about 82,000 square miles, which were larger than in many countries today. It also had his own currency, his post office and his army. Nizam Asaf Jah VII, Mir Osman Ali Khan, was considered one of the richest people in the world. His rule was a symbol of splendor and luxury. But there was a bitter truth behind this greatness. About 85 percent of the population in Hyderabad was Hindu, while the rule was in the hands of a Muslim Nizam and his elite. When India gained independence, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel urged all the principles to merge with the Indian Union. Most of the prince states agreed, but the Nizam decided that its Hyderabad would be an independent nation. The Nizam’s decision was a major challenge for India. Hyderabad was completely surrounded by Indian country. This was called ‘stomach cancer in India’, as the presence of an independent and potentially hostile people was a threat to India’s safety and unit. When the Nizam denied the merger, India began to negotiate with patience. In 1947, the two parties signed the ‘Standstone Agreement’, which aimed to maintain the status quo for a year. But this agreement was only on paper. Inside, the situation was deteriorating. A new element emerged in Hyderabad, which exacerbates the situation, which was Razakar. It was a violent, paramilitary militia, led by a radical leader Qasim Rizvi. The Razakars introduced themselves as the Protector of the Nizam Empire, but their real task was to terrorize the Hindu population. They previously set fire to the villages, killed people and abused women. His slogan was: “We will also perform on Delhi.” His violence spread anarchy in the prince state and increased the pressure on the Indian government to act. When Sardar Patel got this information, he realized that a calm solution was no longer possible. He said: “Our policy is that we should be softened with the princes, but if a state tries to stab in our stomach, we will not tolerate it.” The Indian army planned a secret campaign called ‘Operation Polo’. There was an interesting reason behind this name. Hyderabad had the largest number of Polo sites at the time compared to any city in the world. It was a codename that the enemy never understood. The plan was directly that the Indian army would enter Hyderabad with several fronts and force the army of the Nizam to surrender as soon as possible. The purpose of this operation was not to capture Hyderabad, but to end the chaos there and bring the Nizam back to the conversation table. On the morning of September 13, 1948, the Indian army entered Hyderabad with four directions. From the north, the army was led by Lieutenant General JN Chaudhary from Solapur. From the east, from the direction of Vijayawada, a contingent led by Major General AA Rudra forward. From the south, the routes via Kurnool and Bellary and from the west, from Aurangabad, also entered the army. Before the power and speed of the Indian army, the royal army of the Nizam and the militia of the Razakars could not stand. The training and weapons of the Razakars were very poor. They started running instead of fighting. His morale broke immediately. The Indian army caught very important cities on the first day. From each front he had minor resistance. It was clear that the army of the Nizam had nothing before the organized and mighty army of India. In just four days of operation, the Nizam realized its defeat. His army was completely crushed and there was no hope left in his prince state. On the evening of September 17, 1948, the Nizam declared a ceasefire on all military operations against the Indian army. It was not just a military defeat, but the end of the dream of an independent nation. The Nizam contacted KM Munshi, Agent of the Indian Union, and expressed his desire to surrender. The next day, the Indian army entered the city of Hyderabad on September 18. General Chaudhary accepted the surrender of Nizam and forced him to merge with the Indian Union. Hyderabad merged with India. The Nizam got the post of Rajpramukh and its prince state is peacefully included in the Indian Union. -Ians VKU/DSC