NEW DELHI: A Press campaign to browbeat Hyderabad into submission on the eve of the Indo-Hyderabad negotiations, to start early next week, has been released here. An inspired report published yesterday [Jan 30] argued that India would be justified in freezing the Nizam’s securities with the Reserve Bank unless the Hyderabad Government were able to tender a satisfactory explanation of its disputed “loan” to Pakistan. It is reported such a “retaliatory action” has been already held out to the Nizam, whose reserves with the India Government are believed to be near about sixty crores. … In an interview to a local correspondent Nawab Zain Yar Jung, Agent-General of Hyderabad, said that his Government only invested Rs 20 crores in Pakistan’s securities.

[Meanwhile, as reported from Nagpur,] Security measures were taken all over Nagpur today [Feb 1] and police protection was given to prominent Hindu Mahasabha leaders after large crowds had gathered in front of [their] houses and at the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayam Sangh in the city. The headquarters of the RSS have since been sealed.

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2023