For young adults: How Junagadh, other princely states were persuaded to join India post-independence

Lighting up a Craven “A” cigarette, Jinnah examined the map of Junagadh before him. The 13-gun-salute state was a seafaring kingdom in Kathiawar but shared no land connectivity with Pakistan. And yet, as he waited in his new study in Karachi for a phone call from the diwan of Junagadh, he couldn’t help but wonder how that little princely state could become a key player in his masterstroke.

Junagadh was a political oddity. It had a Hindu majority in population and an eccentric nawab who was Muslim. Parts of other princely states that had acceded to India were interspersed in Junagadh; and fragments of Junagadh were enclosed within the boundaries of its neighbouring states. It had the holiest of Hindu and Jain temples, and a staunch Muslim Leaguer named Shah Nawaz Bhutto as diwan.

“Mr Bhutto on the line, sir,” Jinnah’s ADC said, interrupting his musings.

Jinnah cleared his throat and picked up the receiver, “Good morning, Shah Nawaz. What’s the news?”

“Uh…not good, I’m afraid…” sighed Bhutto, the Sindhi Muslim Leaguer from Karachi, who had taken over only recently from his ailing predecessor as Junagadh’s prime minister. “The nawab’s constitutional adviser, Mr Nabi Baksh, has advised him to join India…” Bhutto apprised Jinnah. “And the nawab himself...

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