Page 333 - SSB Interview: The Complete Guide, Second Edition

Junagadh is one of the modern districts of Saurashtra, Gujarat. Junagadh was
a state on the southwestern end of Gujarat, with the principalities of
Manavadar, Mangrol and Babariawad. It was not contiguous to Pakistan and
other states physically separated it from Pakistan. The state had an

overwhelming Hindu population which constituted more than 80% of its
citizens, while the ruler of the state was a Muslim. The Nawab of Junagadh,

Mahabat Khan, acceded to Pakistan on 15 August 1947. Pakistan confirmed
the acceptance of the accession on 15 September 1947. India did not accept
the accession as legitimate. The Indian point of view was that Junagadh was

not contiguous to Pakistan and that the people of Junagadh wanted it to be a
part of India. Additionally, since the state was encircled by Indian territory on
three sides, it should have been a part of India.

Pakistan’s point of view was that since Junagadh had a ruler and governing

body who chose to accede to Pakistan, they should be allowed to do so.
Junagadh, having a coastline, could have maintained maritime links with

Pakistan. Neither of the states was able to resolve this issue amicably and it
only added fuel to an already charged environment. Sardar Patel, India’s then
Home Minister, felt that if Junagadh was permitted to go to Pakistan, it would

create communal unrest across Gujarat. The Government of India gave
Pakistan time to void the accession and hold a plebiscite in Junagadh to pre-
empt any violence in Gujarat.

India cut off supplies of fuel and coal to Junagadh, severed air and postal
links, sent troops to the frontier and occupied the principalities of Mangrol
and Babariawad that had acceded to India. On 26 October, the Nawab of

Junagadh and his family fled to Pakistan following clashes with Indian
troops. On 7 November, Junagadh’s court, facing collapse, invited the
Government of India to take over the State’s administration. The Dewan of

Junagadh, Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto, the father of the more famous Zulfiqar Ali
Bhutto, decided to invite the Government of India to intervene and wrote a
letter to Mr Buch, the Regional Commissioner of Saurashtra in the

Government of India to this effect. The Government of Pakistan protested.
The Government of India rejected the protests of Pakistan and accepted the
invitation of the Dewan to intervene. Indian troops occupied Junagadh on 9