Anguishing Dogras Demand Holiday on Maharaja Hari Singh's Birthday By Maj Gen Goverdhan Singh Jamwal, AVSM
This year, the celebration of Maharaja Hari Singh’s birthday in Jammu has taken on a different tone. The people of Jammu had high hopes that the government would declare a holiday, as it has been a long-standing demand of the people, especially the Dogras. This year, even the Kashmiris, who had opposed Maharaja Hari Singh since 1930s for various reasons, but most without any valid basis, driven purely by politics—were expected to acknowledge his greatness. Maharaja Hari Singh played a crucial role in the freedom struggle, particularly for the statement he made in the Round Table Conference in 1931. For that statement alone, he deserved to be recognized as a great hero of India. However, he, like Subhas Chandra Bose, had to leave his own domain, as unfortunate circumstances led to his removal from the throne and the State. How tragic it is that, even after 70 years, when we reflect on the past, especially the crucial year of 1947 and the years following it until the removal of Sheikh Abdullah in 1953, we realize that events unfolded without changing the course. Moreover, after a gap of 22 years, when Sheikh Abdullah was brought back in 1975, everything went wrong for J&K.
Let’s briefly examine Maharaja Hari Singh’s role in the political arena of the country and the state. There is no debate about his political contributions to India’s freedom struggle. His forthright views in the Round Table Conference, where he represented over 665 princely States, are recorded and are indisputable. It is worth remembering that he sat alongside Mahatma Gandhi in the Round Table Conference. While Mahatma Gandhi represented the entire country except for the states, Maharaja Hari Singh represented all the princely states of India, which accounted for almost one-third of the country. The British expected Maharaja Hari Singh to express that the country was not prepared for freedom and, therefore, more time might be required. However, we all know what he said in the Round Table Conference—he became the enemy number one of the British, alongside Mahatma Gandhi. While Mahatma Gandhi and other national leaders fought for freedom and faced imprisonment numerous times, sometimes voluntarily and sometimes at the hands of the government, Maharaja Hari Singh spent 16 years, from 1931 to 1947, focusing on modernizing and developing his state in various aspects such as political reforms, social issues, Army, development and tourism etc.
Unfortunately, from 1931 onwards, the British became harsh on all national leaders, particularly Maharaja Hari Singh, as he did not conform to their expectations in the Round Table Conference. It is said that there was an attempt to assassinate him, but he was warned in time and moved to a safe location. While he survived that assassination attempt, he could not escape other assassinations and, eventually, was banished from the state.
This year, the expectation was that the government would declare a holiday on Maharaja Hari Singh’s Birthday, not only because it was a demand voiced by the general public but also because it was passed in the Upper House—the house of the elders, the house of the wise. However, there was opposition in the Lower House, mainly from the same family that not only removed Maharaja Hari Singh from the throne but also banished him from the state. Ironically, they now use him to support their own demands. Even their provincial head in Jammu, Davinder Rana, who understands the pulse of the people, has joined them in demanding a holiday. There is no opposition to this demand throughout Jammu, Ladakh, and even in the Valley. This indicates that the majority of the people of the state support this demand, yet it has not been granted. The reason behind this denial defies logic—it is likely due to the fear of upsetting the existing political equation in the Valley, which could become a determining factor in future political alignments. However, this decision comes at a heavy cost because the people of Jammu have been enduring various forms of discrimination, which sparked the Amarnath Land Row agitation. The agitation was not solely about land; it was a protest against discrimination. Unfortunately, it was suppressed in a way. It has the potential to resurface and take an ugly turn. Many of us believed that, to avoid such situations and satisfy the people of Jammu, even without providing substantial concessions such as addressing billions of rupees worth of discrimination, granting jobs, development, and promoting tourism, the government could have simply declared a holiday. This would have gone a long way in bridging the divide and reducing demands caused by discrimination. However, thus far, no such decision has been made. We still hoped that the government might surprise us. However, some political experts say that the Kashmir-based government may not make such a bold decision just to appease the people of Jammu and Ladakh, as they are not considered significant in the ultimate decision-making process for the state’s future. How unfortunate!
The denial of this genuine and emotionally charged demand has convinced the people of Jammu that they will not receive anything from this government. Consequently, they may feel compelled to take a different approach to pursue their demands—not only for a holiday on Maharaja Hari Singh’s birthday but also for other issues such as employment, development, and tourism. This denial has made all these demands more relevant, including the demand for a separate state of Jammu and Ladakh as a Union Territory. This is my belief because, as the saying goes, “enough is enough.” Now, the Dogras of Jammu are beginning to understand what went wrong and how they have been harmed, even to the extent of their identity being threatened. During my visit to London earlier this year, I addressed a significant gathering of Dogras. They told me that when they are asked who they are, they respond by saying they are “Dogras of Jammu.” But people often shoot back, “Oh, Dogras of Kashmir?” They clarify by stating, “No, not Dogras of Kashmir, but Dogras of Jammu.” Then they are questioned further about the whereabouts of Jammu and what kind of Dogras they are. These encounters leave them wondering about their identity. What should we tell them? I told them to say, “We are Dogras of Jammu who created the unique empire of Jammu and Kashmir by conquering Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan, and adding Kashmir to it. We are the Dogras who created this unique Dogra state, the only empire that lasted until 1947. If we hadn’t created this empire, the state would have gone to Pakistan as part of Punjab, as there was no unified state at the time—Ladakh was independent, and Gilgit-Baltistan was not part of Jammu. It was Maharaja Gulab Singh, with the help of General Zorawar Singh, who established this unique state ruled by Dogras for 101 years, making significant sacrifices. Even when Pakistan launched an attack with 6,000 invaders to capture the valley and Srinagar aerodrome, it was Brigadier Rajinder Singh who prevented them from reaching the aerodrome by demolishing the Uri Bridge. He held them at the peril of his own life until the accession. Maharaja Hari Singh signed the accession document in Jammu on the evening of October 26th, while he passed away on October 27th at 2 in the morning, just six hours before the Indian Army landed. It was only because of Brigadier Rajinder Singh, called the Saviour of Kashmir and posthumously awarded the first gallantry award of independent India, the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC), that Kashmir was saved. He deserved the Param Vir Chakra, but due to the government’s disposition toward Maharaja Hari Singh and his Dogra forces, he awarded only the MVC. With only 100 men, the Dogras defied Pakistan for four days, from Garhi to Baramulla. If Mountbatten had not delayed the accession by nearly two days, it would have taken place on October 24th or at the latest, October 25th, and the Indian Army would have moved in on October 26th morning to Baramulla. This was the price paid by the people of Baramulla due to the delayed accession. If Brigadier Rajinder Singh had not held on for those four days, Mountbatten would have succeeded in his mission. Many may not know that the attack on Kashmir was planned by the British, and the ‘Operation Gulmarg’ order, signed by the Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army, General Frank Messervy, was received at Brigade Headquarters in Bannu Kohat by Major (later Major General) Onkar Singh Kalkat, then the Brigade Major of Brigadier C.P. Murrey, who was not present at the brigade headquarters. When Major Kalkat opened the letter, he saw the entire operation order, directing the forces to attack Muzaffarabad and the valley on the night of October 21st and 22nd to capture the aerodrome and prevent any move by the Indian Army to take over Kashmir and the state. This plan was well in place, and yet Maharaja Hari Singh and Brigadier Rajinder Singh defied it.
No one expected such a massive invasion. What was expected were some raids, communal riots, or local uprisings, particularly in Jammu, and that’s what happened. The British plan was to provoke disturbances in Poonch, Mirpur, Kotli, and the Sialkot border up to Kathua, drawing the state forces, consisting of only nine battalions, to that area, which was predominantly Hindu. The intention was to ensure that, by the time the forces were ready to attack on October 21st, the valley would be devoid of any troops. And that is precisely what transpired—a great plan that was successfully executed. This plan could not have been devised by the Pakistan Army, as it would have taken months for such planning and the issuance of such operational orders, which were done in June, much before Independence. We have evidence to substantiate this, which is mentioned in the official history of J&K Operations by the Ministry of Defence in a book on page 18. However, due to the influence of Nehru, neither the people of Jammu nor historians have exposed these facts.
From the events and experiences since 1990, it is evident that there was no real sense of Kashmiriyat in Kashmir, as it is often portrayed. In fact, Jammu has demonstrated its Dogriyat to the world. While Kashmiris are engaged in ethnic cleansing in the valley, Jammu has accommodated people from the valley and elsewhere, whether in Bathindi or Qasim Nagar. Yet, we find that Kashmiris have not reconciled and still hold grudges against the Dogras, with Maharaja Hari Singh being the symbol of Dogras. However, now, through various writings and demands emerging on social media, including in London, I see people demanding a holiday on Maharaja Hari Singh’s birthday as a way to seek reprieve for all the wrongs and injustices meted out to him. It is clear that this demand is not confined to Jammu alone; Dogras from all over the world share this sentiment. They have even succeeded in educating others about this issue and openly question why July 13th continues to be celebrated when it only breeds animosity between the two Divisions of Jammu. Kashmiris celebrate that Day and make statements against the Dogras and the people of Jammu without any justification. They compare it to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, where thousands were killed, yet the government of India does not celebrate that day or hold anything against the British, as opposed to what the Kashmiris are doing regarding the Dogras. We live in the same state, and all Kashmiris reside with us. A new Jammu has been created. Do you think Dogras are against Kashmiris? Ask yourselves honestly. If not, then change your mindset. Let us stand together and make this state the most prosperous. There is no harm in granting a holiday to Maharaja Hari Singh. Let us embrace change. However, I don’t think the Kashmiris or the Kashmir government, led by a Kashmiri mindset, will take such a bold decision just to please the people of Jammu and Ladakh. Paradoxically, when confronted with intense firing from Pakistan across the borders, Mehbooba often calls for dialogue with Pakistan, citing the words of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, “We can never change neighbors.” If that is the case, can we change the borders within our own state between Kashmir and Jammu?
While discussing the holiday, some elders expressed the opinion that Mehbooba has changed for the better and is now showing greater consideration for the demands of the Jammu and Ladakh regions. When she insists on dialogue with neighboring stakeholders, we thought she would begin by accepting the demand for a holiday on Maharaja Hari Singh’s birthday. After all, it would cost nothing but would remove many barriers, heal wounds, and bring the Jammu region closer to Kashmir. However, the delay in making this decision is causing anxiety, and some hardliners suggest that Mehbooba wants some kind of firing from Jammu to justify the need for peace talks, using the famous words, “We are neighbors, and we must live in peace—dialogue is the only answer.” That would be extremely unfortunate. At present, we are teetering on the edge, and a single good decision could change the atmosphere for the better. On the other hand, a wrong decision could lead to further confrontation between Jammu and Kashmir. I have no doubt in my mind that declaring a holiday on Maharaja Hari Singh’s birthday would satisfy many people and help them realize that Kashmiri intentions are not malicious. We hope that there might be a change of heart, manifesting in a single, small decision that costs nothing to anyone. However, it seems that the opportunity is slipping away.
In conclusion, the demand for a holiday on Maharaja Hari Singh’s birthday is not only anguishing but also emotionally charged. It carries significant historical and political implications, as well as the potential to bridge the divide between Jammu and Kashmir. It is a demand that resonates with the people of Jammu and Ladakh, and it is high time that the government recognizes and acknowledges their sentiments. Failing to do so not only perpetuate the sense of discrimination but also threatens the unity and prosperity of the state. It is imperative for the government to make a decision that upholds justice and harmony, bringing together the diverse communities of Jammu and Kashmir for a brighter future.