(EDITORIAL) From August 15, the Nizam of Hyderabad has become an independent sovereign of an independent territory and assumed the title of “His Majesty”. Neither he nor his Government is having an easy time since then because the State Congress under the direct instigation of Indian leaders who occupy positions of high responsibility, is evidently bent on fomenting rebellion and communal disturbances in order to compel Hyderabad to join the Indian Union. …

…The Maharaja [of Kashmir], unlike the Nizam, has not yet declared his intentions clearly and appears to be sitting on the fence, but things cannot be so quiet in his territory as they look. The flame of discontent against the tyranny of a small group of Pandits and Dogras against the masses of people many times more than their number, is … burning. …We do not know what transpired when Mr. Gandhi visited Srinagar and Jammu, but it appears that he returned quite satisfied with the Maharajah’s intentions. … The award of the Boundary Commission may have technically made Kashmir “contiguous” to Hindustan but if the Maharaja relies on this lame excuse to convert this essentially Muslim Land into an outpost of Hindustan the gravest possible trouble will inevitably ensue.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2022