Did the Nizam have a secret deal earlier than Hyderabad’s accession in September 1948?

As Indian forces surrounded Hyderabad and moved in on 5 fronts in September 1948, the USA and British diplomats suspected that the Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan and the Authorities of India had choreographed the operation.

“Embassy feels, though it has no particular proof in help its conclusion that entire navy marketing campaign and consequent capitulation (of) Nizam was to (a) sure diploma (a) prearranged plan between Nizam and El-Edroos (Maj. Gen. Syed El Edroos commander of Hyderabad forces) on one hand and GOI officers on different,” was the key telegram despatched to U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall by Cost in India Howard Donovan throughout these essential days.

Whereas Indian Independence on August 15, 1947, was a heady affair for the remainder of the nation, Hyderabad beneath the Nizam Osman Ali Khan hedged his bets. Hyderabad needed to take care of a fog of conflict for 13 months earlier than the ‘Police Motion’ started on September 13, 1948. ‘What’s going to the Muslim ruler with a majority Hindu inhabitants do within the coronary heart of India?’, was the massive query. The Nizam’s Dominion sprawled over 82,698 sq. miles an space larger than Scotland and England put collectively.

The inevitability of the accession of Hyderabad was accurately learn by the British diplomats. “…to say that the overwhelming majority of disinterested opinion, each on this sub-continent and outdoors, accepted the Authorities of India’s contentions that Hyderabad’s accession to the Indian Union was not solely inevitable however an indispensable pre-requisite to the consolidation and welfare of the Union as an entire,” knowledgeable A.C.B. Symon, the British Deputy Excessive Commissioner in India to his diplomats.

Whereas the cable seems guarded in its define, in a non-public dialog together with his American counterpart, Symon spelled out his understanding of the scenario. Based mostly on this dialog, the U.S. diplomat despatched a telegram to Marshall on September 15 at 2 p.m.: “U.Ok. Excessive Commissioner mentioned right now he didn’t contemplate it past bounds of risk that there was “a deal” between Bucher (Chief of Military Workers Basic Roy Bucher) and El-Edroos. Bucher advised Symon that so far Hyderabad State troops had withdrawn when GOI forces appeared. Nonetheless, Symon emphasises his remark is pure hypothesis. He agrees with Embassy that the following 48 hours might be essential and that until Hyderabad resistance will increase throughout that interval there’ll most likely be little or no hassle.”

The function of Main Basic El Edroos in reaching an understanding with out a lot violence is borne out in his biography. “Based on my directions, the Hyderabad Armed Forces had fallen again with out providing any resistance and had finished so in an orderly vogue,” wrote Main Basic Syed Ahmed El Edroos because the conflict wound down. This was maybe the explanation why the conflict toll was low with Hyderabad shedding about 1400 troopers and India’s toll, by no means revealed, however is alleged to be in low double digits.

“Publicly Nehru was very a lot towards navy motion in Hyderabad. However he was writing letters to Defence Minister Baldev Singh to organize troops and weapons for motion,” says historian Narayani Basu who has written a biography of V.P. Menon. Menon was a key participant within the integration of Indian States with a ringside view as Secretary to the Authorities of India within the Ministry of the States.

Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru admitted as a lot when he separated the Nizam from the claque surrounding him. “For over ten months, the Authorities tried to result in an amicable settlement with the administration of Hyderabad. However there have been sure forces which had been in energy, which persistently thwarted all makes an attempt at bridging the gulf of distinction between the Nizam and the Authorities,” Nehru mentioned whereas addressing a big gathering at Chowpatty in Bombay on September 15.

By September 17, the unbiased existence of Hyderabad Dominion was over.