The Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday fact-checked senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh over his Twitter thread where he alleged that Maharaja Hari Singh dithered on Kashmir’s accession to India and it was Sheikh Abdullah who championed it, “entirely because of his friendship and admiration for Nehru.”
In a Twitter thread spanning six tweets, Rijiju debunked the ‘historical lie’ that Congress leaders and Gandhi loyalists often peddle to aggrandise the role of Nehru and belittle the contribution of others in Kashmir’s accession to India.
Kiren Rijiju fact-checks Jairam Ramesh on clean chit to Nehru over Kashmir imbroglio
Rijiju said it was a ‘historical lie’ that Maharaja Hari Singh dithered on the question of accession of Kashmir with India and it has gone for far too long to protect the “dubious” role of Jawaharlal Nehru.
This ‘historical lie’, that Maharaja Hari Singh dithered on question of accession of Kashmir with India has gone on for far too long in order to protect the dubious role of J.L.Nehru. ⁰
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) October 12, 2022
Let me quote Nehru himself to bust the lie of @Jairam_Ramesh. 1/6⁰https://t.co/US4XUKAF8E
The Law Minister quoted Nehru to bust the misinformation spread by Jairam Ramesh. “Nehru speaking in Lok Sabha on 24th July, 1952 (After an agreement with Sheikh Abdullah). The first time Maharaja Hari Singh approached Nehru for accession to India was in July 1947 itself, a full month before Independence. It was Nehru who rebuffed the Maharaja,” Rijiju tweeted in the subsequent tweet.
Citing Nehru’s speech in the parliament, Rijiju said that it was not Maharaja Hari Singh but Nehru himself who delayed the accession of Kashmir with India. Maharaja, Rijiju said, approached with the accession to India in July 1947 itself, much like the other princely states. However, others were accepted, while Kashmir’s request was rejected, he added.
Here is Nehru in his own words on why it was not Maharaja Hari Singh who delayed Kashmir’s accession to India but Nehru himself.
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) October 12, 2022
Maharaja had approached in July 1947 itself, like all other Princely States. Other states were accepted. Kashmir was rejected. 3/6 pic.twitter.com/jE7sHzjqjX
Rijiju further added that Nehru not only rejected Maharaja Hari Singh’s proposal for accession in July 1947, but he was dithering in October 1947 as well, at a time when the Pakistani forces, under the guise of ‘tribals’, invaded Kashmir and were within striking distance from Srinagar.
Summing up Nehru’s treachery, Rijiju said while Maharaja wanted to join India in July 1947, Nehru rejected his proposal and conjured up some ‘special case’ for Kashmir and had wanted ‘much more’ than mere accession.
“Why was Kashmir made the only exception by Nehru, where the Princely ruler wanted to join India, and yet Nehru wanted ‘much more’? What was that much more? Truth is, India is still paying the price for Nehru’s follies,” Rijiju concluded.
Why was Kashmir made the only exception by Nehru, where the Princely ruler wanted to join India and yet Nehru wanted ‘much more’?
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) October 12, 2022
What was that much more?
Truth is, India is still paying the price for Nehru’s follies. 6/6
(Link to Nehru’s speech: https://t.co/IuCgZQlt5g)
Jairam Ramesh claims Maharaja Hari Singh delayed Kashmir’s accession to India
Earlier yesterday, Ramesh took to Twitter to shift the blame of the vexed issue of Kashmir from Nehru to Maharaja Hari Singh. In a string of tweets, Ramesh said it was Hari Singh who dithered to join India and not Nehru who is held responsible for the Kashmir imbroglio. Ramesh credited Kashmir’s accession to Sheikh Abdullah, whose divisive legacy continues to shape the conflict in present-day Kashmir. The Congress leader also raised aspersions on Sardar Patel, stating that he was ok with Kashmir joining Pakistan till September 1947.
