Editing Vallabhbhai Patel (section)

=== Political integration of independent India ===
{{Main|Political integration of India}}
[[File:Chandamama 1948 01 (page 11 crop).jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Painting of Vallabhai Patel as deputy prime minister that appeared in the 1948 issue of ''[[Chandamama]]'' magazine.]]As the first Home Minister, Patel played one of the major role in the integration of the princely states into the Indian federation.<ref name="autogenerated65">{{cite journal |author=Buta Singh |title=Role of Sardar Patel in the Integration of Indian States |journal=Calcutta Historical Journal |date=Jul–Dec 2008 |volume=28 |issue=2 |pages=65–78}}</ref> This achievement formed the cornerstone of Patel's popularity in the post-independence era. He is, in this regard, compared to [[Otto von Bismarck]] who unified the many German states in 1871.{{sfn|Balraj Krishna|2007}} Under the plan of 3 June, more than 565 princely states were given the option of joining either India or Pakistan, or choosing independence. Indian nationalists and large segments of the public feared that if these states did not accede, most of the people and territory would be fragmented. The Congress, as well as senior British officials, considered Patel the best man for the task of achieving conquest of the princely states by the Indian dominion. Gandhi had said to Patel, "The problem of the States is so difficult that you alone can solve it."{{sfn|Rajmohan Gandhi|1990|p=406}} Patel was considered a statesman of integrity with the practical acumen and resolve to accomplish a monumental task. He asked V.{{nbsp}}P.{{nbsp}}Menon, a senior civil servant with whom he had worked on the partition of India, to become his right-hand man as chief secretary of the States Ministry. On 6 August 1947, Patel began lobbying the princes, attempting to make them receptive towards dialogue with the future government and forestall potential conflicts. Patel used social meetings and unofficial surroundings to engage most of the monarchs, inviting them to lunch and tea at his home in Delhi. At these meetings, Patel explained that there was no inherent conflict between the Congress and the princely order. Patel invoked the patriotism of India's monarchs, asking them to join in the independence of their nation and act as responsible rulers who cared about the future of their people. He persuaded the princes of 565 states of the impossibility of independence from the Indian republic, especially in the presence of growing opposition from their subjects. He proposed favourable terms for the merger, including the creation of ''[[Privy Purse in India|privy purses]]'' for the rulers' descendants. While encouraging the rulers to act out of patriotism, Patel did not rule out force. Stressing that the princes would need to accede to India in good faith, he set a deadline of 15 August 1947 for them to sign the instrument of accession document. All but three of the states willingly merged into the Indian union; only [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[Junagadh State|Junagadh]], and [[Hyderabad state|Hyderabad]] did not fall into his basket.{{sfn|Syed|2010|p=21}}

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[[File:Hyderabad state 1909.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|[[Hyderabad state]] in 1909. Its area stretched over large parts of the current Indian states of [[Telangana]], Karnataka, and [[Maharashtra]].]]
[[File:British Indian Empire 1909 Imperial Gazetteer of India.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|The [[British Raj|British Indian Empire]] in 1909]]
Junagadh was especially important to Patel, since it was in his home state of [[Gujarat]]. It was also important because in this Kathiawar district was the ultra-rich [[Somnath temple]] (which in the 11th century had been plundered by [[Mahmud of Ghazni]], who damaged the temple and its idols to rob it of its riches, including emeralds, diamonds, and gold). Under pressure from Sir [[Shah Nawaz Bhutto]], the Nawab had acceded to Pakistan. It was, however, quite far from Pakistan, and 80% of its population was Hindu. Patel combined diplomacy with force, demanding that Pakistan annul the accession, and that the Nawab accede to India. He sent the Army to occupy three principalities of Junagadh to show his resolve. Following widespread protests and the formation of a civil government, or ''Aarzi Hukumat'', both Bhutto and the Nawab fled to [[Karachi]], and under Patel's orders the [[Indian Army]] and police units marched into the state. A plebiscite organised later produced a 99.5% vote for merger with India.{{sfn|Rajmohan Gandhi|1990|p=438}} In a speech at the Bahauddin College in Junagadh following the latter's take-over, Patel emphasised his feeling of urgency on Hyderabad, which he felt was more vital to India than Kashmir:

{{blockquote|If Hyderabad does not see the writing on the wall, it goes the way Junagadh has gone. Pakistan attempted to set off Kashmir against Junagadh. When we raised the question of settlement in a democratic way, they (Pakistan) at once told us that they would consider it if we applied that policy to Kashmir. Our reply was that we would agree to Kashmir if they agreed to Hyderabad.{{sfn|Rajmohan Gandhi|1990|p=438}}}}

Hyderabad was the largest of the princely states, and it included parts of present-day [[Telangana]], Andhra Pradesh, [[Karnataka]], and [[Maharashtra]] states. Its ruler, the [[Nizam]] [[Osman Ali Khan, Asif Jah VII|Osman Ali Khan]], was a Muslim, although over 80% of its people were Hindu. The Nizam sought independence or accession with Pakistan. Muslim forces loyal to Nizam, called the [[Razakars (Hyderabad)|Razakars]], under [[Qasim Razvi]], pressed the Nizam to hold out against India, while organising attacks on people on Indian soil. Even though a [[Standstill agreement (India)|Standstill Agreement]] was signed due to the desperate efforts of Lord Mountbatten to avoid a war, the Nizam rejected deals and changed his positions.{{sfn|Rajmohan Gandhi|1990|p=480}} On 7 September, [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] gave ultimatum to Nizam, demanding ban on the Razakars and return of Indian troops to [[Secunderabad Cantonment Board|Secunderabad]].<ref name="Siddiqi 1960 p.">{{cite book | last=Siddiqi | first=A. | title=Pakistan Seeks Security | publisher=Longmans, Green, Pakistan Branch | year=1960 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EsM9AAAAMAAJ | page=21 | access-date=14 March 2024 | archive-date=14 March 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240314170954/https://books.google.com/books?id=EsM9AAAAMAAJ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Benichou 2000">{{cite book | last=Benichou | first=L. D. | title=From Autocracy to Integration: Political Developments in Hyderabad State, 1938-1948 | publisher=Orient Longman | year=2000 | isbn=978-81-250-1847-6 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Loiq3YrFy40C&pg=PA231 | page=231 | access-date=14 March 2024 | archive-date=14 March 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240314171609/https://books.google.com/books?id=Loiq3YrFy40C&pg=PA231 | url-status=live }}</ref> Pakistan foreign minister [[Muhammad Zafarullah Khan]] warned India against this ultimatum.<ref name="Best 2003 p. 224">{{cite book | title=British Documents on Foreign Affairs: Reports and Papers from the Foreign Office Confidential Print. From 1946 through 1950. Asia 1948. | publisher=Univ. Publ. of America | series=E (Asia) |editor=Anthony Best | issue=pt. 4, v. 9 | year=2003 | isbn=978-1-55655-768-2 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aTyk_neEmg0C&pg=PA224 | page=224 | access-date=14 March 2024 | archive-date=14 March 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240314171006/https://books.google.com/books?id=aTyk_neEmg0C&pg=PA224 | url-status=live }}</ref> The invasion of Hyderabad was then launched on 13 September, after the death of Jinnah on 11 September.<ref name="Hangloo Murali 2007 p.">{{cite book | last=Hangloo | first=Rattan Lal | last2=Murali | first2=A. | title=New Themes in Indian History: Art, Politics, Gender, Environment, and Culture | publisher=Black & White | year=2007 | isbn=978-81-89320-15-7 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nwVuAAAAMAAJ | pages=240–241}}</ref><ref name="Pakistan Institute">{{cite journal | title=Vol. 17, No. 2, Second Quarter, 1964 | journal=Pakistan Horizon | publisher=Pakistan Institute of International Affairs | volume=17 | issue=2 | year=1964 | issn=0030-980X | jstor=41392796 | page=169 | url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/41392796 | access-date=2023-08-25 | archive-date=25 August 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825042231/https://www.jstor.org/stable/41392796 | url-status=live }}</ref> After the defeat of Razakars, the Nizam signed an instrument of accession, joining India.<ref>{{cite web | last=Apparasu | first=Srinivasa Rao | title=How Hyd merger with Union unfolded | website=Hindustan Times | date=2022-09-16 | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/how-hyd-merger-with-union-unfolded-101663352521085.html | access-date=14 March 2024 | archive-date=18 January 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118095707/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/how-hyd-merger-with-union-unfolded-101663352521085.html | url-status=live }}</ref>