An Experiment in Dyarchy and its Failure continues....

With a heavy heart, the Maharaja signed the document releasing me and retired at midnight after saying good-bye to me. Early next morning, I left Jammu by car. When I arrived at Pathankot, I found Sheikh Abdulla, Bakhshi Gulam Mohammad, Mirza Abdul Beg and two or three other members of their party stranded at Pathankot owing to heavy rains. They stayed with me for the night. It was raining so heavily that they could not leave even by road. They returned to Amritsar and from there flew to Jammu.

After the proclamation had been made, Sheikh Abdulla took over as Prime Minister. A new ministry was now formed. Col. Baldev Singh was appointed Dewan and a member of the Cabinet representing the Maharaja therein. Before leaving the State I was able to secure the approval of His Highness to the proposal of Sheikh Abdulla appointing Mr. Janki Nath Wazir—an old student of mine— as the Chief Justice of the State.

Before the final proclamation was drawn up and issued, Sir Gopalaswamy Iyengar visited the State twice or thrice to persuade His Highness to agree to hand over the administration to Sheikh Abdulla but his persuasion did not have much effect.

During my stay in the State, I also flew to Poonch where three battalions of the State forces and two battalions of the Indian army were guarding the town which was in seige. Pakistani raiders were firing on it from the high hills continuously. When our plane flew back from Poonch, it was fired at by these raiders but luckily it was not hit.

To be continued.....