Integration of Junagadh (1948)

The Integration of Junagadh was a significant event in the political consolidation of post-independence India. It involved the accession of the princely state of Junagadh, located in the Kathiawar Peninsula (Saurashtra region) of present-day Gujarat, into the Indian Union in 1948. The episode reflected the complex process of integrating over 560 princely states following India’s independence and highlighted the firm diplomatic and administrative stance of the Indian leadership under Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Background of Junagadh State

Before independence, Junagadh was one of the 14 princely states in the Kathiawar Agency under British rule. It covered an area of about 8,800 square kilometres and had a population of roughly 700,000 people, the majority of whom were Hindus (about 80%), while the ruling elite, including the Nawab, were Muslims.
The state was ruled by Nawab Mahabat Khan III, whose administration had close ties with the British. Geographically, Junagadh was surrounded by Indian territory on three sides and bordered by the Arabian Sea to the south and southwest. It shared no direct land connection with Pakistan.

Political Context at Independence

When India achieved independence on 15 August 1947, the British left the princely states free to join either India or Pakistan—or, theoretically, to remain independent—under the Indian Independence Act of 1947. However, given Junagadh’s location deep inside the Indian mainland and its Hindu-majority population, it was naturally expected to accede to India.
Contrary to this expectation, on 15 August 1947, Nawab Mahabat Khan III, influenced by his Dewan (Prime Minister) Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto (father of future Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto), announced the accession of Junagadh to Pakistan. Pakistan formally accepted the accession on 13 September 1947, sparking outrage and political unrest in India.

Indian Reaction and Diplomatic Efforts

The Indian government, led by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister), regarded Junagadh’s accession to Pakistan as geographically and politically untenable. The state’s position was isolated from Pakistan by hundreds of kilometres of Indian territory, making governance and communication impossible.
Patel and V. P. Menon, Secretary in the Ministry of States, engaged in diplomatic efforts to persuade the Nawab to reconsider his decision. However, as public unrest and protests intensified, the situation escalated into a major political crisis.

Popular Uprising and Administrative Collapse

Following the announcement of accession to Pakistan, widespread agitation erupted in Junagadh and its neighbouring territories. The majority Hindu population, supported by local leaders and neighbouring princely states such as Bhavnagar and Gondal, opposed the Nawab’s decision.
By October 1947, the situation deteriorated as law and order broke down. Local administrations began refusing to obey the Nawab’s orders. The Arzi Hukumat (Provisional Government) of Junagadh was proclaimed on 25 October 1947 at Rajkot, under the leadership of Samaldas Gandhi, a relative of Mahatma Gandhi. This provisional government, with the tacit support of India, organised popular resistance against the Nawab’s rule.

Flight of the Nawab and Indian Intervention

Amid growing public pressure and administrative paralysis, Nawab Mahabat Khan III fled to Karachi (Pakistan) in late October 1947, leaving behind his Dewan, Shah Nawaz Bhutto, to manage the state’s affairs.
Bhutto soon realised that the situation was untenable and requested India’s intervention to restore peace and order. On 9 November 1947, the Government of India dispatched troops and administrative officers to Junagadh to take control of the region. The operation was peaceful and swift, with minimal resistance. Indian forces entered the capital, Junagadh city, and re-established governance.

Plebiscite and Formal Integration

To legitimise the integration and reflect the will of the people, the Indian government decided to hold a plebiscite (referendum) under official supervision. The plebiscite was conducted on 20 February 1948, under the guidance of local officials and independent observers.
The results were overwhelmingly in favour of joining India:

• Out of approximately 201,000 votes cast, 199,563 were in favour of accession to India, while only 91 favoured Pakistan.

Following this decisive outcome, Junagadh was formally integrated into the Indian Union in March 1948.

Administrative Reorganisation

After its accession, Junagadh was incorporated into the newly formed Saurashtra State (later merged into Bombay State in 1956, and subsequently into Gujarat after the linguistic reorganisation of states in 1960). The administrative and political integration of Junagadh completed the consolidation of the Kathiawar region under Indian governance.

International and Diplomatic Implications

The Junagadh episode had notable diplomatic repercussions. Pakistan protested India’s action, arguing that Junagadh’s accession was legally valid. However, India maintained that the state’s geographic isolation, combined with the clear public mandate through the plebiscite, made its integration legitimate and democratic.
India also highlighted the case as a precedent for people’s will determining state accession, contrasting it with Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir, where it opposed a similar plebiscite. The Junagadh issue was briefly mentioned in the United Nations, but it did not gain significant traction due to the evident popular support for India’s position.

Significance of the Junagadh Integration

The integration of Junagadh carried immense political and strategic importance:

• It reinforced India’s territorial integrity, preventing a potential Pakistani foothold within the Indian mainland.
• It demonstrated the Indian government’s firm and pragmatic leadership under Sardar Patel in handling the complex problem of princely states.
• It established the principle of people’s choice as a key determinant in territorial integration.
• It stabilised the Saurashtra region, paving the way for its economic and administrative development within the Indian Union.