Integration of Princely States and Popular Politics

The Indian national movement was not restricted to British-administered provinces alone, as political awakening extended deeply into the princely states that covered nearly two-fifths of the subcontinent. The populace living under princely rule faced a dual burden of autocratic local administration and paramount British control, which sparked a parallel freedom movement known as the States Peoples Movement. This domestic struggle aimed to secure responsible government, civil liberties, and ultimate integration with the wider national movement led by the Indian National Congress.

Evolution of Congress Policy Towards Princely States

Early Phase of Non-Intervention

During the early decades of its existence, the Indian National Congress followed a policy of non-intervention towards the internal affairs of the princely states. The leadership believed that the rulers of these states were allies of the British and that any direct confrontation would invite severe repression. Mahatma Gandhi initially advocated that the subjects of these states should rely on their own internal strength and moral force rather than direct support from the Congress organization.

Shift Towards Active Support

The political stance underwent a major transformation during the late 1920s and 1930s as the democratic aspirations of the regional populations intensified. The Haripura Session of the Indian National Congress in 1938 marked a turning point when the party declared that it stood for the same political and social freedom in the princely states as in the rest of India. The Congress permitted its individual members to participate in the movements within the states, provided they did not involve the official machinery of the Congress party directly.

Rise of the All India States Peoples Conference

Foundation and Objectives

The growing discontent against autocratic rulers led to the formation of the All India States Peoples Conference in December 1927. Prominent leaders such as Balwantrai Mehta, Maniklal Verma, and S. Radhakrishnan helped coordinate scattered political activities across various states. The primary objective of the conference was to attain responsible government through democratic means and to secure fundamental rights such as freedom of speech, press, and assembly for the subjects of the princely states.

Integration with the National Mainstream

By the late 1930s, under the guidance of Jawaharlal Nehru, who served as the president of the All India States Peoples Conference, the distinction between British India and the princely states began to blur. Nehru emphasized that India was a single geopolitical and cultural entity and that the freedom struggle was indivisible. Local struggles in states such as Mysore, Travancore, Hyderabad, Kashmir, and Rajkot gained momentum and synchronized their demands with the national goal of complete independence.

Major Movements in Indian States

Key Facts for Quick Revision

• The All India States Peoples Conference was founded in December 1927 with its headquarters located in Bombay.
• Jawaharlal Nehru served as the president of the All India States Peoples Conference for several crucial years leading up to independence.
• The Haripura session of the Indian National Congress held in 1938 was presided over by Subhas Chandra Bose, where the resolution on states was adopted.
• The Prajamandal movements were local political organizations affiliated with the All India States Peoples Conference operating within specific princely domains.
• The Butler Committee appointed in 1927 investigated the relationship between the paramount power and the princely states, declaring that paramountcy must remain supreme.
• The Rajkot Satyagraha witnessed Mahatma Gandhi undertaking a fast in early 1939 to resolve disputes regarding popular representation in the state council.
• The integration of over 500 princely states into the Indian Union after independence was successfully executed by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and V. P. Menon.