1.Rewrite the statements by choosing the appropriate options..
(1) There were more than six hundred small and big …………. in India.
(a) States
(b) Villages
(c) Princely States
(d) Cities
(2) All the princely states merged with India except the states of Junagad, …………. and Kashmir.
(a) Aundh
(b) Jhansi
(c) Vadodara
(d) Hyderabad
2. Explain the following statements with reasons.
(1) Junagad merged within India.
Ans. (1) Junagad was a princely state in Saurashtra (2) The people there wanted to be merged with India. But the Nawab of Junagad was thinking of joining Pakistan. (3) The people strongly opposed his decision and the Nawab left for Pakistan. (4) Later in February 1948, Junagad got merged into India.
(2) The Indian Government started police action against the Nizam.
Ans. (1) In July 1947, Hyderabad State Congress passed a resolution for merger of Hyderabad state into India. (2) The Nizam however took an anti-India stand. (3) He started making movements for merging of Hyderabad state with Pakistan. (4) To reject the demand of people of Hyderabad to be merged with India, Kasim Rizvi, an associate of the Nizam, formed an organisation known as ‘Razakar’. (5) Kasim Rizvi and his associates not only oppressed the hindus, but also the Muslims who supported the democratic movement which inflammated the public opinion (6) The Government of India tried to negotiate patiently with the Nizam but he refused to respond. (7) At last, the Indian government started the police action against the Nizam on 13 September 1948.
(3) Hari Singh signed the ‘Instrument of Accession’ with India.
Ans. (1) Hari Singh, the ruler of State of Kashmir, had decided to remain independent. (2) Pakistan had intended to secure the merger of Kashmir with Pakistan. (3) Due to this Pakistan started putting pressure on Hari Singh. (4) At the instigation of Pakistan, armed intruders attacked Kashmir in October 1947. (5) At that time Hari Singh signed the ‘Instrument of Accession’ with India.
3. Answer the following questions in brief.
(1) Explain the contribution of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in the integration of Princely States.
Ans. (1) Even after India’s independence, there were more than six hundred small and big princely states which had not merged into India. (2) Immediately after independence, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel found out a diplomatic way of getting the princely states merged with India. (3) He brought the rulers of the princely states into confidence and prepared an ‘Instrument of Accession’, acceptable to all. (4) He was able to convince the benefits of merging with India to the rulers of princely states except the states of junagad, Hyderabad and Kashmir. (5) Thus, the then Home Minister of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel took a firm stand and solved the issue of merger of princely states.
(2) Explain the contribution of Swami Ramananda Tirth in the struggle for liberation of Hyderabad.
Ans. (1) Swami Ramananda Tirth played an important role in the struggle for the liberation of Hyderabad, also known as Hyderabad Mukti Sangram. (2) He formed the Hyderabad State Congress in 1938, for the liberation of the state of Hyderabad from the autocratic rule of the Nizam. (3) When Nizam banned this organisation, he led a struggle for getting recognition to the Hyderabad State Congress and democratic right. (4) In this struggle, Swami Tirth was assisted by Narayan Reddy and Siraj-ul-Hasan. Also, P. V. Narsimha Rao and Govindbhai Shroff were his faithful followers.