Editorial: Junagadh: Another Chapter of Indian Atrocities

PKKH Editorial

Over 12 lakh Junagadhi Muslims, residing in Karachi area have awaken the conscience of the country on a wound that has been drooling for the past 65 years with not a single swab of dressing. It is common misconception that Junagadh being a Hindu majority area was rightfully to be acceded to India in comparison to the case of Kashmir, where the Muslims are in majority, and a Freedom movement since 1946 was popular locally, therefore the Instrument of Accession should have been used in compliance to their aspirations.

However the historical fact is that when India forcefully invaded Junagadh on the 9^th of November, 1947, Pakistan agreed to discuss a plebiscite, subject to the withdrawal of the Indian troops, India rejected Pakistan’s proposal, this plebiscite was conducted in February 1948 and was not internationally monitored, pointing to India’s lack of confidence in the will of the people of Junagadh for accession to India.

Muslim rulers had ruled Junagadh from 1472, starting with Muhammad Bedaga to when after the Mughal rulers the Yousaf Zai pathans who laid foundation of Babi Nawabs  had ruled this state to 1948. The fact is that on the event of the Partition, Nawab Mahabat Khanji III acceded to Pakistan on the 15^th of September, with the popular consent of his people. India as usual could not swallow the thought of an inch of its ‘Dharti Mata’ going out of its clutches. On the 25th of September India announced the formation of the unlawful “Aarzee Hukumat”, with Shri Saamar Das Gandhi, a relative of Gandhi Sab as President, who was not even a resident of Junagarh. The Government of India took over by force Sardargadh a neighboring town of Bantva and then it captured Bantva on the Eid-ul-Azha Day whilst the Muslims were peacefully praying in the mosques. Finally Junagadh was occupied on the 9th of November 1947 at 6 PM by the Indian Army led by Brigadier Gurdial Singh.

The age-old Hindu craving for conspiracy led them to allurw the Dewan of Junagadh, Sir ShahNawaz Bhutto, to invite the Government of India to intervene and he wrote a letter to the Regional Commissioner of Saurashtra in the Government of India to this effect. As expected the government of India rejected the protests of Pakistan and accepted the invitation of the Dewan to intervene.

India has been the forceful occupier and a tyrant imperialist in all possibilities that arose; in Kashmir when the popular will of the majority was with Pakistan, India conspired and invaded; in the case of Hyderabad, when it decided to remain independent of both India and Pakistan, in again invaded by its infamous Operation Polo; in Sikkim again the Indian army occupied Sikkim, in 1975, before holding a referendum that resulted in a 97% vote in favor of India to incorporate it as it as one of its usual states; India has harbored tense relations with Bhutan for a long time and Bhutan fears its direct interference,  this is what India has done and is still doing in the neighborhood, destroying all chances of peace.

On 9th of Novemeber, 2012 once again the people of Junagadh, who had to flee Indian aggression and migrate to Pakistan, have reminded the world community and the Government of Pakistan, that mere passage of time does not change the fact that their homeland was forcibly snatched away from them and is in a state of unlawful occupation. They have demanded that India should be put to trial in the international courts of justice, and the decision should be according to the dictate of international law and justice, as applies to the Instrument of Accession.

Today, in a rally attended by more than a 100 Junagadhi organizations, held in Karachi, the Junagadhi people have reminded the people of Pakistan, that even to this day, after 65 years of Indian occupation the people of Junagadh are with Pakistan at heart, and that Pakistan has not been fair with Junagadh by deserting its case and letting India enjoy its foray without any resistance.

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