On September 11, 1948, Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India, sent an urgent telegram to Liaquat Ali Khan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, marking a significant moment in history. Nehru's message conveyed India's stance regarding the situation in Hyderabad, addressing several critical points.
In the telegram, Nehru clarified that India harbored no aggressive intentions towards Hyderabad. He emphasized that any actions taken would be in response to the refusal of the Government of Hyderabad to engage constructively in resolving the ongoing issues. Nehru also highlighted that India had made numerous settlement proposals over the past year.
Furthermore, Nehru underscored India's commitment to maintaining law and order within its own borders, particularly with regard to safeguarding the well-being of minorities. He pointed out that any actions against Hyderabad were driven by the imperative to prevent a further deterioration of the communal situation, largely due to the atrocities committed by the Razakars, a private militia associated with the Nizam.
Nehru expressed his hope that Pakistan would take measures to ensure communal peace. This telegram was a prelude to the military operation that would unfold in the coming days, ultimately leading to Hyderabad's integration into India on September 18, 1948.
This military operation was referred to as a "police action" and was codenamed "Operation Polo" or "Operation Caterpillar." The Nizam announced a ceasefire on September 17, and Indian forces entered Hyderabad on September 18, finalizing the integration process.
The context leading up to this operation involved reports of increasing atrocities against the Hindu population in Hyderabad by the Razakar militia, led by Kasim Razvi, the president of the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen party. It's worth noting that approximately 90 percent of Hyderabad's 15 million subjects were Hindus, as reported by Time magazine in February 1937.
Despite Hyderabad's unique status as one of the wealthiest princely states, it maintained a feudal character and displayed limited interest in addressing the concerns of its Hindu majority population. Nizam Osman Ali Khan had presented Hyderabad's case for complete independence to the United Nations, citing a special alliance with the British.
As India was grappling with the conflict in Jammu and Kashmir shortly after gaining independence, the Nizam saw an opportunity and signed an agreement with India in November 1947, effectively maintaining the status quo for a year, during which India would not intervene or exercise authority over Hyderabad.
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