Anexação de Jammu e Caxemira ao Estado da Índia
Texto da carta datada de 26/10/47, de Hari Singh, marajá de Jammu e Caxemira, a Lord Mountbatten, governador geral da Índia na época
Dated: 26 October 1947
My dear Lord Mountbatten,
I have to inform your Excellency that a grave emergency has arisen in my State and request
immediate assistance of your Government.
As your Excellency is aware the State of Jammu and Kashmir has not acceded to the Dominion
of India or to Pakistan. Geographically my State is contiguous to both the Dominions. It
has jvital economical and cultural links with both of them. Besides my State has a common
boundary with the Soviet Republic and China. In their external relations the Dominions of
India and Pakistan cannot ignore this fact.
I wanted to take time to decide to which Dominion I should accede, or whether it is not in
the best interests of both the Dominions and my State to stand independent, of course with
friendly and cordial relations with both.
I accordingly approached the Dominions of India and Pakistan to enter into Standstill
Agreement with my State. The Pakistan Government accepted this Agreement. The Dominion of
India desired further discussions with representatives of my Government. I could not
arrange this in view of the developments indicated below. In fact the Pakistan Government
are operating Post and Telegraph system inside the State.
Though we have got a Standstill Agreement with the Pakistan Government that Government
permitted steady and increasing strangulation of supplies like food, salt and petrol to my
State.
Afridis, solidiers in plain clothes, and desperadoes with modern weapons have been allowed
to infilter into the State at first in Poonch and then in Sialkot and finally in mass area
adjoining Hazara District on the Ramkot side. The result has been that the limited number
of troops at the disposal of the State had to be dispersed and thus had to face the enemy
at the several points simultaneously, that it has become difficult to stop the wanton
destruction of life and property and looting. The Mahora powerhouse which supplies the
electric current to the whole of Srinagar has been burnt. The number of women who have
been kidnapped and raped makes my heart bleed. The wild forces thus let loose on the State
are marching on with the aim of capturing Srinagar, the summer Capital of my Government,
as first step to over-running the whole State.
The mass infiltration of tribesmen drawn from distant areas of the North-West Frontier
coming regularly in motor trucks using Manshera-Muzaffarabad Road and fully armed with
up-to-date weapons cannot possibly be done without the knowledge of the Provisional
Government of the North-West Frontier Province and the Government of Pakistan. In spite of
repeated requests made by my Government no attempt has been made to check these raiders or
stop them from coming into my State. The Pakistan Radio even put out a story that a
Provisional Government had been set up in Kashmir. The people of my State both the Muslims
and non-Muslims generally have taken no part at all.
With the conditions obtaining at present in my State and the great emergency of the
situation as it exists, I have no option but to ask for help from the Indian Dominion.
Naturally they cannot send the help asked for by me without my State acceding to the
Dominion of India. I have accordingly decided to do so and I attach the Instrument of
Accession for acceptance by your Government. The other alternative is to leave my State
and my people to free-looters. On this basis no civilized Government can exist or be
maintained. This alternative I will never allow to happen as long as I am Ruler of the
State and I have life to defend my country.
I am also to inform your Excellency's Government that it is my intention at once to set up
an interim Government and ask Sheikh Abdullah to carry the responsibilities in this
emergency with my Prime Minister.
If my State has to be saved immediate assistance must be available at Srinagar. Mr. Menon
is fully aware of the situation and he will explain to you, if further explanation is
needed.
In haste and with kind regards,
Your sincerely,
Hari Singh
The Palace, Jammu
26th October, 1947.