Gratis Mind

I should probably add another category, Chacha Nehru’s Goofups. Full article from Pioneer below

‘Nehru offered plebiscite, Pak agreed’

Nandini Jawli | London

Secrets unveiled

The declassified documents from 1948 regarding Jammu & Kashmir show that Jawahar Lal Nehru had proposed to Pakistan, plebiscite in the State conducted by the United Nations.

Pakistan agreed to this and argued for adding the words “free and impartial” plebiscite, with the hope that it will mean accession of Jammu & Kashmir to Pakistan. While the UK gave its full support for the scheme.

“Notes on the Jammu & Kashmir Situation” from Commonwealth Relations Office to the British Prime Minister mentions: “On Novenmber 8, 1947, Nehru proposed to Pakistan the following terms-

# A free plebiscite should be held to decide whether Jammu & Kashmir should join India or Pakistan.

# In order to meet Pakistan’s objection that Sheikh Abdullah’s Government would not conduct a fair plebiscite, the plebiscite should be conducted by the United Nations.

# Not only in Kashmir, but elsewhere, both Governments should recognise the general principle that accession should be determined not by the decision of the Maharaja but by a free expression of the people’s will.

The documents show that the British Government, through out, insisted that since India has proposed the plebiscite, now its legal argument regarding the accession by Maharaja of Jammu & Kashmir should not be considered.

The same note mentions that Britain “should like the Security Council and the Commission to refrain from proceeding on the basis of the Indian contention about the legal accession of Jammu & Kashmir”.

The British maintained, “It does not follow from this argument that it is wise or just to allow the Jammu & Kashmir question to be settled by conquest by the Indian forces.”

The documents reveal that later Prime Minister Nehru changed his stance. He went on to take the line, that either Pakistan should unreservedly accept the UN Commission’s resolution of August 13 or should accept the partition of Jammu & Kashmir in accordance with the areas then held by Indian and Azad forces.

Nehru’s changed stand is revealed in the details of his meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan in Paris on October 30.

Liaquat Ali Khan himself wrote to British Prime Minister Clement Attlee on November 11, 1948 detailing his meeting with Nehru.

Khan informs Attlee of rejecting Nehru’s proposition, as he did not want to accept the proposed line of division of Jammu & Kashmir, as permanent.

Khan also wrote, “It is clear that Nehru was opposed to a free and impartial plebiscite. In his heart of hearts he must know that a free and impartial plebiscite will mean the accession of Jammu & Kashmir to Pakistan.”