Book Review | A Royal’s Baptism into Democratic Politics
Authoritative biographies do not inspire confidence. But this is different. It is based on political developments in Jammu and Kashmir. And it tells the events from the perspective of Karan Singh, who was involved in the crisis-filled politics of the state from its accession to India in October 1947 to 1965. Harbans Singh presents the events in a clear manner. As a biography, and this too as an authorized biography, it shows the role of Karan Singh. It was an important role. And it provides important perspective.
Karan Singh’s life was not like that of other royals whose states merged with India at the time of Independence. Royals in other princely provinces had to sign instruments of accession or incorporation and retire gracefully to their private places and estates. If some of them, like Gwalior’s Vijay Raje Scindia and Jaipur’s Gayatri Devi, had entered politics, they did so on their own. In the case of Karan Singh, the special circumstances of Jammu and Kashmir necessitated that the royal family be given a special constitutional role in the administrative system.
Hari Singh was forced to abdicate as the then popular leader of Kashmir, Sheikh Abdullah, had daggers drawn on him beforehand. Hari Singh showed no signs of being conciliatory. However, Nehru, Patel and Abdullah felt that the presence of the royal family was necessary as the Dogras ruling family held Kashmir and Jammu together. Secondly, Harbans Singh makes the important observation that it was the Dogras who created the state of Jammu and Kashmir, which includes Ladakh, Gilgit and Baltistan, as it existed in 1947. It was an artificial situation. Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh remained in India after Pakistani raiders were stopped near Srinagar. Sheikh Abdullah knew the symbolic importance of keeping the different parts of the Dogra ruling family together. Karan Singh was thrust into the vortex like a deputy at the young age of 18.
The state convened its own constituent assembly, drafted the constitution and adopted it in 1952, accepted the state’s accession to India, and devised the special formula of Sadr-e-Riyasat, who was elected as the head of the state by the assembly while the head of the government was the prime minister. Karan Singh became Sadr-E-Riyasat. And the constitutional head of the state was responsible for the impeachment and arrest of Sheikh Abdullah in 1953, the dismissal of Abdullah’s replacement, Bakshi Ghulam Muhammad, due to rampant corruption, and the imposition of Governor’s Rule in the wake of the Hazrat Bal crisis, which plunged the state into a deep crisis with the disappearance of the relic of the Prophet’s hair in 1963, a deep crisis consisting mainly of law and order and the provocative presence of Abdullah, who was unleashed by the self-confident Bakshi Ghulam Muhammad. became effective in the crisis.
Karan Singh ruled the state as a constitutional leader and was in constant touch with Nehru through official communications and personal visits. This was the christening of democratic politics for the royal family and Karan Singh undertook it with great sense of responsibility and rare flair. After serving as the president of Jammu and Kashmir for 18 years, Karan Singh moved to Delhi and devoted himself to national politics. But these early years are very important and of great importance for both Jammu and Kashmir and Karan Singh.
A Statesman and a Seeker: The Extraordinary Life and Legacy of Dr Karan Singh
By Harbans Singh
Talking Tiger
p. 478; 999 rupees/-
