Dethroned by John Zubrzycki: Unraveling the Integration of India’s Princely States in 1947 #BookReview @JohnZubrzycki @juggernautbooks

Dethroned by John Zubrzycki is a historical book that tells the story of how India’s princely states were integrated into the newly independent nation in 1947. The book focuses on the roles of Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first Home Minister of India, and V.P. Menon, the chief negotiator and strategist of the integration process. The book also explores the challenges, conflicts, and controversies that arose from the princely states’ accession, such as the cases of Kashmir and Hyderabad.

The book is based on extensive research and archival sources, as well as interviews with some of the key players and witnesses of the events. The book is written in an engaging and accessible style, with vivid descriptions and anecdotes that bring the characters and situations to life. The book also provides a balanced and nuanced perspective on the motivations, actions, and consequences of the different parties involved in the integration of the princely states.

Some of the key events covered in the book are:

The announcement of the Mountbatten Plan on June 3, 1947, which proposed the partition of British India into two dominions, India and Pakistan, and gave the princely states the option to join either one or remain independent.
The signing of the Standstill Agreement on August 15, 1947, which maintained the status quo of the relations between the princely states and the dominions until a final settlement was reached.
The launch of the Operation Polo on September 13, 1947, which was a military operation by the Indian Army to annex the princely state of Hyderabad, which had refused to join either India or Pakistan.

The signing of the Instrument of Accession by Maharaja Hari Singh of Kashmir on October 26, 1947, which made Kashmir a part of India after an invasion by Pakistani-backed tribal raiders.
The formation of the States Reorganisation Commission on December 29, 1953, which recommended the reorganisation of the states of India on the basis of language and culture.
The abolition of the privy purses and the titles of the princes by the 26th Amendment of the Constitution of India on December 28, 1971, which ended the special privileges and allowances of the former rulers of the princely states.

Some of the key turning moments mentioned in the book are:

The Mountbatten Plan was a turning moment because it changed the course of history and the fate of millions of people. It was a result of the negotiations between Lord Mountbatten, the leaders of the Indian National Congress, and the Muslim League. It was a compromise that aimed to avoid civil war and violence, but also led to the partition of British India and the creation of Pakistan. The plan also gave the princely states the freedom to choose their own destiny, which opened the door for the integration process.

The Operation Polo was a turning moment because it was the largest and the most controversial military operation undertaken by the Indian government to annex a princely state. It was a response to the defiance and aggression of the Nizam of Hyderabad, who wanted to remain independent or join Pakistan. It was also a challenge to the sovereignty and the secularism of India, as the Nizam had allied with a radical Muslim group called the Razakars, who terrorized and massacred the Hindu population of Hyderabad. The operation ended the rule of the Nizam and brought Hyderabad under the Indian Union.

The abolition of the privy purses was a turning moment because it marked the end of the feudal and the aristocratic system in India. It was a move by the Indian government to abolish the special rights and privileges of the former rulers of the princely states, who had agreed to join India in exchange for a fixed annual payment and a recognition of their titles. It was also a step towards the equality and the democracy of the Indian society, as it removed the distinction between the royalty and the commoners. The abolition of the privy purses was opposed by many princes, who challenged it in the Supreme Court, but it was upheld by the Parliament and the Constitution.

The book is a valuable contribution to the history of modern India, as it sheds light on a crucial and complex aspect of the country’s formation and identity. The book is also relevant for the present-day context, as it shows how the legacy of the princely states still affects the political and social realities of India and its neighbours. The book is highly recommended for anyone interested in learning more about the end of the British Raj and the birth of independent India.

The story is based on authentic sources and historical evidence, as the author has done extensive research and consulted various archives and documents to write the book. The author has also interviewed some of the people who were involved or witnessed the events that took place during the integration of the princely states. The book also provides references and citations for the facts and figures that are mentioned in the book. Therefore, the story is credible and reliable, as it reflects the reality and the complexity of the historical process. However, the story is also influenced by the author’s perspective and interpretation, as he tries to present a balanced and nuanced view of the different actors and factors that shaped the outcome of the integration. The story may also have some gaps or errors, as some of the information may be incomplete or inaccurate due to the limitations of the sources or the biases of the narrators. Therefore, the story is not a definitive or a final account of the history, but rather a well-informed and a well-written one.

Here is a detailed analysis of the main characters of Dethroned by John Zubrzycki, based on the information I found on the web:

Lord Louis Mountbatten: He was the last Viceroy of India, who had the task of overseeing the transfer of power from Britain to India and Pakistan in 1947. He was also the cousin of King George VI and a decorated naval officer. He had a close relationship with Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, and supported his vision of a secular and democratic India. However, he underestimated the complexity and diversity of the princely states, and failed to persuade many of them to join India or Pakistan before the deadline of August 15, 1947. He also agreed to the controversial partition of India, which resulted in widespread violence and displacement of millions of people. He later became the Governor-General of India, and was assassinated by the Irish Republican Army in 1979.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel: He was the first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of India, who is widely regarded as the chief architect of the integration of the princely states into the Indian Union. He was a pragmatic, tough-minded, and patriotic leader, who used a combination of diplomacy, persuasion, and force to convince the princes to accede to India. He also played a key role in the creation of the Indian Civil Service, the Indian Police Service, and the Indian Administrative Service. He was a loyal follower of Mahatma Gandhi, and a rival of Nehru for the leadership of the Congress party. He died in 1950, and was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, in 1991.

V.P. Menon: He was the Secretary of the States Department, and the right-hand man of Patel in the process of integration. He was a cigar-smoking, self-made civil servant, who had risen from humble origins to become one of the most influential bureaucrats in British India. He was a master strategist, who devised the Instrument of Accession, the legal document that formalized the accession of the princely states to India or Pakistan. He also personally visited many of the princes, and persuaded them to sign the document. He wrote two books on the integration of India, The Story of the Integration of the Indian States and The Transfer of Power in India.

Jawaharlal Nehru: He was the first Prime Minister of India, and the leader of the Congress party. He was a visionary, idealist, and socialist, who advocated for a secular, democratic, and modern India. He was also a close friend and admirer of Mountbatten, and supported his plan for the partition of India. He had a disdain for the princely states, and considered them as relics of feudalism and imperialism. He wanted to abolish their privileges and titles, and bring them under the direct control of the central government. He clashed with Patel on many issues, such as the status of Hyderabad, Kashmir, and Junagadh. He died in 1964, and was succeeded by his daughter, Indira Gandhi.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah: He was the founder and first Governor-General of Pakistan, and the leader of the Muslim League. He was a lawyer, politician, and nationalist, who demanded a separate homeland for the Muslims of India. He opposed the Congress party, and accused them of being dominated by Hindus. He also courted the princely states, especially those with Muslim majority or rulers, and offered them incentives to join Pakistan. He succeeded in getting the accession of some of the states, such as Bahawalpur, Khairpur, and Kalat. However, he failed to secure the accession of the largest and most important state, Hyderabad, which was annexed by India in 1948. He died in 1948, and was revered as the Quaid-i-Azam, or the Great Leader, by Pakistanis .

The Princes: They were the rulers of the 562 princely states that existed in India before independence. They varied in size, wealth, power, and culture, and had different degrees of autonomy and loyalty to the British. Some of them were progressive and reformist, while others were conservative and oppressive. Some of them were willing and eager to join India or Pakistan, while others were reluctant and resistant. Some of them were cooperative and peaceful, while others were defiant and violent. Some of the most prominent and controversial princes were:

The Nizam of Hyderabad: He was the ruler of the largest and richest princely state, which covered an area of 82,698 square miles and had a population of 16.34 million. He was a Muslim, but his subjects were mostly Hindus. He wanted to remain independent, or join Pakistan, but was opposed by his own people and the Indian government. He resisted the pressure from Patel and Menon, and hired a private army of Razakars, who terrorized and massacred the Hindus. He was finally defeated by the Indian army in Operation Polo, and forced to sign the Instrument of Accession in 1948.

The Maharaja of Kashmir: He was the ruler of the most beautiful and strategic princely state, which bordered India, Pakistan, and China. He was a Hindu, but his subjects were mostly Muslims. He wanted to remain independent, or join India, but was opposed by his own people and the Pakistani government. He faced an invasion by Pakistani-backed tribal raiders, who captured a large part of his territory. He sought the help of the Indian army, and agreed to sign the Instrument of Accession in 1947. However, his decision was challenged by Pakistan, and led to the first Indo-Pakistani war, which ended with a ceasefire and a UN resolution. The state was divided into two parts, one controlled by India and the other by Pakistan, and the dispute remains unresolved till date.

The Nawab of Junagadh: He was the ruler of a small but prosperous princely state, which had a coastline on the Arabian Sea and a population of 0.7 million. He was a Muslim, but his subjects were mostly Hindus. He wanted to join Pakistan, and signed the Instrument of Accession in 1947. However, his decision was rejected by the Indian government, and opposed by his own people and the neighbouring states. He fled to Pakistan, and left behind his state in chaos. The Indian army occupied the state, and held a plebiscite, in which the people voted overwhelmingly to join India in 1948.

This post is part of the Bookish League blog hop hosted by Bohemian Bibliophile