Nehru & Abdullah

On Kashmir, Nehru was clear and resolute. Sheikh Abdullah had to be expelled from the political arena.

NOT a single volume in this invaluable series fails to instruct and shed some light on that varied personality, Jawaharlal Nehru. As always, this one has a good collection on matters domestic, on every aspect of our national life, and on foreign affairs.

A note to his Principal Private Secretary K. Ram, dated May 31, 1958, criticises the Delhi authorities for banning hedges. I thought hedges were normally desirable and were far better than boundary walls. In fact boundary walls are ugly and unsightly, apart from being more expensive. He replied to Humayun Kabir's letter on a proposal to have a buffet dinner on the lawns of the Qutab Minar. I would have no objection to a simple tea party being given on the lawns of the Qutab, naturally in the afternoon. But I do not at all approve of the proposal to have a dinner and a ball there. I think that from any artistic point of view the idea of a Western ball in the surroundings of the Qutab would be wholly out of keeping. Further, I would take strong exception to wines and spirits being served at such a function in the Qutab area. I am sure the public would object to it also. Further, as you have pointed out in your letter, this might well become a precedent for other international conferences and the like. A buffet and a ball, etc., would require a great deal of organisation, lighting up, etc., and I have no doubt that this would interfere with the Qutab and might even do some damage.

On the boundary question with China he was confused and hesitant. He wrote to the Foreign Secretary on April 8, 1958, on maps issued by China. I think that High Commission in London should certainly take up this matter with the Chinese Embassy. We might also refer the matter here in Delhi to the Chinese Embassy and express our regret at such maps being issued on behalf of the Chinese government. On the whole, I am inclined to think that we need not at this stage as our Embassy in Peking is to take up this matter. Thus, our present approach will not be too formal and at the same time the Chinese government will know what we feel about the issue of such maps.

But on Kashmir he was clear and resolute. Sheikh Abdullah had to be expelled from the political arena. On April 16, 1958, Nehru wrote to Bakshi Ghulam Mohammed, the Chief Minister, I am much worried about one matter. Why is it that there is such delay in starting the conspiracy case about which there has been so much talk for several months? This delay is having a bad effect on people.

On April 19, 1958, Nehru sent a note to N.R. Pillai, the Commonwealth Secretary. It said: It is for lawyers to assess the value of this evidence. Prima facie, there appears to be a good ideal of documentary evidence to support the charge of conspiracy. There has been talk about launching this conspiracy case for many months and some public reference has also been made to it. I have long felt that the delay in launching this case was harmful to our interests. Some delay was perhaps inevitable in order to collect the evidence. But because of this delay an impression is now spreading that we have really no case and no substantial evidence.

As for Sheikh Abdullah being involved in this case, I am inclined to agree with Commonwealth Secretary that it would probably be better to leave him out. If, later on, it is considered important to proceed against him also, presumably there will be no bar to it. As a matter of fact, to proceed against Begum Abdullah would itself be a great blow to Sheikh Abdullah.

Sure enough, 10 days later the Sheikh was rearrested, having been released only on January 8, 1958.

In view of public opinion at home and abroad, he could not be detained indefinitely, as before. On October 23, 1958, a formal complaint was filed against him (through the Inspector General of Police) on charges of conspiracy against the state. Strangely enough, the period of conspiracy mentioned there and in the charge in the Sessions trial was that between 9th August 1953 to 29th April 1958 the accused conspired with one another and with Pakistani agents to forcibly overthrow the government of the State with the object of facilitating wrongful annexation of the territory by Pakistan. He had been put in prison on August 9, 1953.

At the time of his arrest in 1953, Bakshi Ghulam Mohammed's charge was not that Sheikh Saheb was conspiring with Pakistan, but with the U.S. He was released in April 1964.