Kashmir’s Accession to India

Let me be quite clear about Kashmir. There still seems to be a good deal of misunderstanding about Kashmir’s accession to India. The other day, I said in this House that this accession was complete in law and in fact. Some people and some Newspapers, mostly Newspapers abroad, seem to think that it is only something that has happened in the last week or fortnight or three weeks that has made this accession complete. According to my views, this accession was complete in law and in fact in October, 1947. It is patent and no argument is required, because every accession of every State in India was complete on these very terms by September in that year or a little later. All the States acceded in three basic subjects, namely, foreign affairs, communications and defence. Can anybody say that the accession of any State in India was incomplete simply because they acceded in only those three subjects? Of course not. It was the accession of the Jammu and Kashmir State, in law and in fact, by the end of October, 1947. It was not open to doubt and challenge. I am surprised that anybody here or elsewhere in the world should challenge it. I was telling the House that when the first United Nations Commission, accompanied by their legal advisers and other came here, it was open to them to challenge it. But they did not, because it was quite clear to them and to their legal advisers that there could be no question about the legal validity of the accession. The people of Jammu and Kashmir State not only agreed to come to us as they did, but it was at their request that we took them into our large family of States. I do believe that they have the same friendly feelings towards us as the other States have. I believe that on other occasions they have given evidence of this fact. Even in the election of this Constituent Assembly that took place nearly a year ago, they exhibited that feeling of friendship and union with India.

            A short while ago, we met the representatives of the Government of Kashmir and they were not merely the representatives of the Government but undoubtedly the popular leaders of the people of Kashmir. We met them, we talked to them and we discussed many matters with them. We did not go to them in a bargaining spirit of opposition. We discussed matters with them, with a view to solving our intricate problems.

Nehru's speech in the House of People, New Delhi, August 7, 1952

Kashmir’s Accession to India

The reports of the Basic Principles Committee and the Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights and Citizenship were adopted unanimously today by the Kashmir Constituent Assembly amid prolonged cheers.

Sixty out of the 75 members of the Assembly were present when the reports, in which two amendments had been made earlier, were put to vote.

Later, the President of the Assembly, Mr. G.M. Sadiq, adjourned the House to February 11 when the Drafting Committee will present its report.

Earlier, commending the reports, the Prime Minister, Bakshi Ghulam Mohammed, said: “We irrevocably acceded to India more than six years ago and today we are only fulfilling the formalities of our unbreakable bonds with India.”

The Kashmir Premier declared : “We are laying the foundation of a new constitutional structure with the object of improving the social, economic and political aspirations of the people of the State with the closest co-operation and understanding of the Indian people.”

He said the recommendations guaranteed full internal autonomy to the people of the State, and “banished all uncertainty and feelings of insecurity.”

AMBITIOUS PROGRAMME

Bakshi Ghulam Mohammed said the reports of the two committees had been fully discussed and there was unanimity among all members that they contained an ambitious programme and reflected the desire of the people of the State to improve their lot.

“We placed these recommendations before the House with honesty and full responsibility after examining all the pros and cons because they intimately concern the structure of our Constitution and relationship with India.”

He deplored the fact that some members were not present in the House when a formal shape was being given to the “irrevocable decision we took in October, 1947, namely, accession to India.”

He said : “For the past six years we have ratified this step of accession from every housetop in the State Today we see our programme, which is the essence of our national struggle, being embodied in these recommendations. This step strengthens the State and cements the closest relationship with India.”

He quoted from the speeches of Sheikh Abdullah and Mirza Afzal Beg and said the recommendations of the two committees were fully in line with the views of the two detained leaders of the National Conference. Both had denounced the communal structure of Pakistan and fully supported Kashmir’s accession to India.

“Today we are not placing a new programme before you. It is the same which Sheikh Abdullah and Mirza Afzal Beg approved publicly from time to time.”

The Hindustan Times, 7 February 1954, NMML Microfilm Collection