No pension for those who stopped Junagadh’s accession to Pak

AHMEDABAD: Guess what was one of Narendra Modi’s first moves after becoming chief minister last October? Disbanding the committee appointed by the Keshubhai Patel regime to work out pensions and other benefits for the Arzi Hakumat freedom fighters!
This was the provisional government formed with the blessings of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to fight the Nawab of Junagadh and save it from slipping into the hands of Pakistan.
"The biggest insult was that the Gujarat government decided to give pension to the surviving freedom fighters from Diu & Daman who were in prison not even for a full day. About 15 warriors of the Arzi Hakumat had laid down their lives in the 45-day-long armed struggle against Junagadh, but there is no recognition for them," says Manibhai Doshi, who was one of the six ministers of the Arzi government-in-exile which was formed in September 1947 in Mumbai.
Doshi was a close aide of Subhashchandra Bose and Rasbihari Bose, and was also sentenced to death by the British for his role in the Azad Hind Fauj. He was appointed chairperson of the disbanded six-member committee. He says, "The state government had appointed the committee on May 27, 1998, and two of its meetings were also held. The committee recommended pension to those alive and to the widows of those who died."
But he is annoyed with the state government move. "Despite the committee recommending pension to the freedom fighters from Diu, Daman and Arzi Hakumat, the state government is giving pension to those from Diu and Daman only, and not to the ones from Junagadh. The government then decided to give some cash and medals, and disbanded the committee," Doshi said.
Gunvantray Purohit, the president of the Gujarat State Freedom Fighters’ Organisation, recalls, "When the Nawab declared accession to Pakistan on September 15, 1947, the Kathiawar Political Conference formed the Hakumat under the leadership of Shamaldas Gandhi."
However, an overwhelming majority of people were opposed to the Nawab’s move. Besides, Junagadh was landlocked in India as the Sheikh of Mangrol joined the Indian Union.
The Arzi warriors then decided to start an armed struggle. "We had about 1,000 rifles, two Wren guns, one lakh cartridges and some other weapons. We took control of about 65 villages in Junagadh, robbed several trains, attacked and seized the Nawab’s police station and cut their communication network. There were pitched battles with the Nawab’s men," says Purohit.
At the end of the struggle, the Nawab gave in and had to flee to Pakistan along with Bhutto, the grandfather of former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto. A plebiscite was held and Junagadh became part of India.
"Today India is facing two similar cases before the UN — about Jammu & Kashmir and Junagadh. Without the Arzi Hakumat’s struggle and the successful plebiscite, Junagadh would have been as bad a problem as Kashmir is today," Doshi says. BJP leader Suryakant Acharya was also a minister in the Hakumat and is vice-chairman of the State Planning Commission. He refuses to talk about the committee’s fate. "I prepared the medallion’s model for the state government. I don’t know anything further," he told TNN.
The committee was able to trace, verify through district collectors and recommend 158 individuals and their relatives who deserve pension. The pension is a far cry, but these valiant soldiers, most of whom are now septuagenarians, have not been given even a medal or a certificate for keepsake!