Chapter 13 - Fulfillment of Struggle for Independence
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
Ans: (c) Princely States
(2) All the princely states merged with India except the states of Junagad,
…………. and Kashmir.
(a) Aundh
(b) Jhansi
(c) Vadodara
(d) Hyderabad
Ans: (d) Hyderabad
2. Explain the following statements with reasons.
(1) Junagad merged within India.
Ans:
(i) Junagad was a princely state in Saurashtra.
(ii) The Nawab of Junagad wanted to merge the state with Pakistan.
(iii) It was opposed by the people vigorously as they wanted the merger with India.
(iv) Due to this, the Nawab fled to Pakistan, and Junagad was merged with India in February 1948.
(2) The Indian Government started police action against the Nizam.
Ans:
(i) The Hyderabad State Congress passed a resolution for the merger of Hyderabad State with India in July 1947.
(ii) The Nizam took an anti-India stand and tried for a merger with Pakistan.
(iii) The Razakar organisation of Kasim Rizvi committed atrocities against Hindus as well as Muslims who supported the democratic movement.
(iv) The Nizam did not respond to the appeal of the Government of India for peaceful negotiations.
(v) At last, the Government of India started police action on September 13, 1948, and the state of Hyderabad was merged with India.
(3) Hari Singh signed the ‘Instrument of Accession’ with India.
Ans:
(i) Hari Singh, the ruler of Kashmir, had decided to retain the independence of Kashmir.
(ii) Pakistan was eager to secure the merger of Kashmir with itself.
(iii) So, Pakistan began to put pressure on Hari Singh for this purpose.
(iv) At the instigation of Pakistan, the armed intruders attacked Kashmir in October, 1947.
(v) Therefore, 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:
(i) The problem of the merger of the princely states was very tactfully handled by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the then Home Minister of India.
(ii) He convinced the princes that the merger of their states with India was in their interests.
(iii) He prepared the ‘Instrument of Accession’, acceptable to all.
(iv) The princes accepted the proposal, and all the states except Junagadh, Kashmir, and Hyderabad were merged with India.
(v) These three states, too, were merged with India subsequently.
(vi) Thus, he took a firm stand and solved the issue of the merger of princely states.
(2) Explain the contribution of Swami Ramananda Tirth in the struggle for liberation of Hyderabad.
Ans:
(i) Hyderabad was the largest princely state in India.
(ii) The autocratic ruler, Nizam, had denied civil and political rights to the people.
(iii) In 1938, Swami Ramananda Tirth formed the Hyderabad State Congress.
(iv) As Nizam banned his organisation, a struggle began to get recognition for the Hyderabad State Congress and democratic rights.
(v) In July 1947, a resolution was passed by the Hyderabad State Congress for its merger with India.
(vi) Swami Ramananda Tirth was assisted in his efforts by Narayan Reddy and Siraj-ul-Hasan Tirmiji.