Thread by @SadaaShree

#OperationPolo #HyderabadLiberationDay
When the world's richest man, the Nizam surrendered to the Indian army, as Hyderabad became part of the Indian Union, remember this pic for posterity.

Chakali Ilamma, the frail old woman who started off the Telangana revolt against the Nizam, that was the predecessor to Operation Polo. When she fought against the local Zamindar’s attempt to take over 4 acres of her land. #HyderabadLiberationDay

For a long time, the rural parts of Hyderabad State, were divided into what was called as Samsthanams, essentially pieces of feudal territories, #HyderabadLiberationDay

These Samsthanams were under the feudal role of the Doras or Deshmukhs, who ran a brutal and often oppressive rule. They owned most of the land, and collected the taxes from the poor peasantry, and keeping them in perpetual bonded labor( called as Vetti Chakiri).

These landlords were the masters of their own land, and had a good bonding with the Nizam and his nobles. The Nizam on the other hand, hardly had any control over these lands, and let the Doras run it as per their own free whims, it was pretty much a quid pro quo arrangement.

The revolt against the landlords , that essentially was against bonded labor and exploitation, saw the Nizam himself become the target. To the villagers and activists, the exploitative landlords, were essentially stooges of the Nizam himself.

One of the more popular revolutionary songs of that period was “Bandenaka Bandi Katti, Padaharu Ballu Katti, Nenosthanu koduka ra Nizam sarakaroda”. Loosely translated it means “Tying one cart after another, and 16 carts in tow, I am coming for you stooge of the Nizam”.

Rural discontent was high against the Nizam, on one side the Communist leaders like Ch.Rajeswara Rao , on the other side, Congress leaders like Swami Ramananda Teertha, P.V.Narasimha Rao, rising up against his rule.

There was another reason too for the simmering discontent, in spite of the fact that Hindus constituted 85% of the population in Hyderabad State as per 1941 census, with Muslims making up 12%, they were severely under represented in the Government. #HyderabadLiberationDay

Faced with growing discontent, and also the fear of a Hindu uprising, the Nizam gave a free hand to Qasim Rizvi , an advocate from Latur, to set up the Razakars,to counter it.If terror had a face this was it. #HyderabadLiberationDay

Qasim Rizvi, had joined the Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen(MIM), which was founded by Nawab Mahmood Nawaz Khan Qiledar, on the advice of the Nizam himself, and it’s first meeting was held in 1927. #HyderabadLiberationDay

The aim of the MIM was to establish a Muslim dominion rather than integration with India, it was however under Bahadur Yar Jung, that it acquired the radical character.

Yar Jung wanted Hyderabad to be a separate Islamic state independent of India, governed by Sharia. Known for his oratory, and a close friend of Mohd.Ali Jinnah and Mohd.Iqbal, he was one of the leading advocates of Pakistan.

Rizvi by then had already risen in the ranks, and was a close confidante to Bahadur Yar Jung, and when the latter died suddenly in 1944, he took over the MIM. #HyderabadLiberation

He then set up the Razakars, a fanatic, dreaded militia, that was the equivalent of Mussolini’s Black Shirts and Hitler’s Storm troopers, and this had the blessings of the Nizam. #HyderabadLiberationDay

The Nizam encouraged Rizvi and the Razakars, in order to counter the rising discontent among the rural population, and also the protests by the Communists and the Hyderabad State Congress. #HyderabadLiberationDay

The Razakars unleashed a reign of terror in Hyderabad State, with their storm-trooping acts. Villages were attacked in the middle of night, and after rounding the mostly Hindu residents up, they were massacred en masse. #HyderabadLiberationDay

There have been eye witness accounts from some villagers, who managed to escape the Razakar’s by playing dead,often having to lie still on a pile of corpses. In some cases, the villagers fled to the nearest jungle or one of the numerous uninhabited mud forts to escape.

Rape, arson, torture, looting, were common tactics by the Razakars to intimidate the population. Much as the Nizam later protested he was a mere pawn, in the hands of the Razakars, the fact is that he was responsible for funding them, and also providing them arms.

Sir Walter Monckton, the advisor to the Nizam, resigned, in protest against the Razakar attacks on him. It was not for nothing Sardar Patel told the Nizam, after his surrender, when the latter said “To err is human”, “Yes it may be true, but errors always have consequences”

August 15, 1947- The Nizam refused to sign the Instrument of Accession, and instead declared Hyderabad as an independent nation. For Sardar Patel, the existence of an independent country right in the heart of India, was too great a risk, he could never allow it.

He was determined to integrate it, even if force was needed. Lord Mountbatten advised Sardar to avoid force, and try seeking a peaceful solution to the issue. #HyderabadLiberationDay

It was then that the Central Govt came up with the Standstill Agreement, in November,1947, which only sought an assurance, that Hyderabad would not accede to Pakistan, and status quo would be maintained. #HyderabadLiberation

In accordance with the Standstill Agreement, K.M.Munshi was appointed the Indian Government’s envoy and Agent General to Hyderabad. Munshi was one of Patel's close associates, a writer of note, who later founded the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

There was a good reason why Sardar had choosen Munshi for the responsibility, he had earlier been the Home Minister in Bombay from 1937-39, and handled the communally charged situation there well. #HyderabadLiberationDay

Hardly was the Standstill Agreement signed, when the Nizam, passed two ordinances in quick succession. One was the restriction on export of precious minerals from Hyderabad to India. #HyderabadLiberationDay

And another was declaring Indian currency as not legal tender in the state, both of them in violation of the Standstill Agreement. On the other hand, the Nizam used this Standstill Agreement to request world leaders, the UN and other Muslim nations to intervene.

He requested for intervention of UN, and also arbitration by the US President Harry Truman, both the efforts in vain though. Churchill and the Conservatives supported the Nizam. #HyderabadLiberationDay

The tipping point however came when the Nizam’s Govt, advanced a loan of Rs 20 cr to Pakistan, in form of Govt of India securities. In effect, the Nizam egged on by Rizvi and Laik Ali, was openly cocking a snook at the Indian Govt. #HyderabadLiberationDay

On the other hand, the Razakars had become a law unto themselves, carrying out a terror campaign of ethnic cleansing, torture, rape, loot and arson, against Hindus and Muslims who were in favor of integration with India. #HyderabadLiberationDay

Firstly they felt that even if India were to resort to an economic blockade, Hyderabad State had enough capability to stand on it’s own. #HyderabadLiberationDay

Also even if India, did take action, all the Muslim nations would automatically come forward to help it, and the UN would be forced to intervene. #HyderabadLiberationDay

And above all, you had Qasim Rizvi, the Razakar’s chief, who declared that if India were to attack Hyderabad ” Nothing but the bones and ashes of 10.5 million Hindus would be found”. #HyderabadLiberationDay

Sardar Patel categorically replied back “If you threaten us with violence, swords will be met with swords”. There was a section in the Indian Govt too, that was apprehensive of retaliatory large scale communal violence, against Muslims in other parts of India.

The Nizam too was busy arming himself, with the help of the Portugese in Goa , Pakistan and a certain Australian arms dealer called Sidney Cotton, who ran missions into Hyderabad. #HyderabadLiberationDay

Lord Mountbatten in the meanwhile had left India in June, 1948, and that was a huge blow to the Nizam, who was hoping he would somehow help him out. #HyderabadLiberationDay

Matter of fact, years later, after Operation Polo, when the Nizam’s daughter in law Durrushevar, met Mountbatten at a party, she coldly fired at him “You have let us down”. #HyderabadLiberationDay

There still was resistance to Patel’s idea, from the then Commander in Chief of the Indian Army, Sir Roy Bucher, who felt that Hyderabad would be an additional front for the Indian forces already facing a conflict in Kashmir, but Sardar put his foot down.

Finally when the Nizam’s Govt, sent their external Affairs Minister, Nawab Moin Nawaz Jung to the UN Security Council, in September 1948, Sardar felt that there was no other alternative but to invade Hyderabad. #HyderabadLiberationDay

After making a careful study, the decision was finally communicated to the Southern Command, who recommended September 13 as the best date to start the operations. #HyderabadLiberationDay

The mission was called as Operation Polo, due to large number of polo grounds in Hyderabad State then. Also Sardar called it as a police action, ensuring it would be an internal affair, thus ruling out UN intervention. #HyderabadLiberation

The Hyderabad Army was led by El Eldroos, a close confidante of the Nizam, of Arab Hadrami origin, who had fought in both the World Wars, however an utterly inept commander and strategist to boot. #HyderabadLiberationDay

The Indian Army was commanded by Gen. Jayanto Nath Chaudhari, a graduated from Kolkata’s St Xavier’s nicknamed as Mucho, and who had fought in the deserts of Africa as well as the Middle East during WWII. #HyderabadLiberationDay

The final plan for Operation Polo, was formulated by Lt.Gen. Eric Goddard, GOC of the Southern Command of India and named after him. #HyderabadLiberation

It was however Lt.Gen Sri Rajendrasinhji Jadeja, who belonged to the Jamnagar Royal family, who actually supervised the operation when he took over as GOC of the Southern Command, from Goddard. #HyderabadLiberationDay

The plan envisaged two thrusts into Hyderabad, one from the Western side by Gen. J.N.Chaudhari , that would begin from Sholapur, and had 2 infantry brigades, one armored brigade and a strike force. #HyderabadLiberationDay

The other thrust from the Eastern side, would be led by Gen.A.A.Rudra that would start from Vijayawada, which consisted of the Gurkha Rifles, 4 Infantry Battalions, and one squadron of the Poona 17th Horse. #HyderabadLiberationDay

On Day 1, September 13th, a fierce battle was fought at Naldurg Fort near Solapur, where the 2nd Sikh Infantry, managed to secure the fort, after resistance from 1 Hyderabad Infantry. #HyderabadLiberationDay

On the Eastern front, there was major resistance from two armored units of the Hyderabad State Army, consisting of Humbers and Staghounds, before they were overpowered and managed to reach the town of Kodad in Nalgonda district. #HyderabadLiberationDay

From the other end, Hospet was captured from the Razakars, while the 5/5 Gurkha Rifles managed to secure a vital bridge over the Tungabhadra River. On Day 2, Osmanabad faced an attack from the Gurkha Rifles and an 8th cavalry squadron, as they attacked the city.

There was heavy street to street fighting between the Indian army and the Razakars, who put up a fierce resistance, before the own finally fell. Aurangabad was attacked by six infantry and cavalry columns under Maj.Gen.D.S.Brar, and soon the civil administration surrendered.

Jalna fell on Day 3, Sept 15, while air strikes by the Indian Air Force, cleared the town of Suryapet in Nalgonda, which fell to the Indian Army. Zahirabad fell to the Indian Army on Day 4, Sept 16, though they still kept facing ambush attacks from the Razakars.

Finally on September 17th, 1948, the Indian Army entered the town of Bidar in Karnataka, while another column took over the town of Chityal, in Nalgonda district, around 60 KM from Hyderabad. #HyderabadLiberationDay

With Hingoli in Maharashtra, also falling to the Indian Army, the Nizam knew he had lost the game. The Hyderabad State Army was utterly routed, with 490 dead and 122 injured, and around 1647 becoming prisoners. #HyderabadLiberationDay

The Razakar’s fared even worse, they lost 1373 of their men, and 1911 were captured, and with it their pipe dream of hosting an independent Hyderabad too.
The Nizam announced the ceasefire, at 5 PM IST, disbanded the Razakars and allowed the Indian Army entry into Hyderabad.

On September 18, El Edroos, met J.N.Chaudhuri and surrendered to him, while Qasim Rizvi was arrested by the Indian Government. Laik Ali was kept in house arrest, at Begumpet, from where he managed to escape in 1950. #HyderabadLiberationDay

It also effectively ended the 235 yr old rule of the Asaf Jah Dynasty, which at it’s peak had extended from Malwa in the North to Trichy in the South, and was the last vestige of the Mughal rule in India. #HyderabadLiberationDay

On this day as we observe #HyderabadLiberationDay pay tribute to all those who fought against Razakars, Sardar Patel for Operation Polo that ensured Hyderabad would not end up as another Kashmir, and of course the Indian army.

And thank you all for following this longish thread of mine on #HyderabadLiberationDay #OperationPolo patiently. You can check out my article here for more detailed insights.
historyunderyourfeet.wordpress.com/2013/09/17/ope…