An Experiment in Dyarchy and its Failure continues...

Of course, as elsewhere, the Maharaja’s rule would have been short-lived and with other princely States, Kashmir would have been absorbed in India ultimately. In the correspondence that followed, the Prime Minister gradually tried to dilute the Mysore model, leaving the Maharaja merely as a constitutional figure-head, I strongly resisted this attempt. We wanted to hold the Prime Minister of India strictly to his promise. He was trying to back out of it on the ground that the circumstances had completely changed since that promise was made. We felt that nothing had changed so far as Kashmir was concerned except that Sheikh Abdulla was demanding more powers. For the Maharaja, the Sheikh had neither affection nor goodwill. Panditji rightly thought that so long as I was in the State fighting the Maharaja’s battle, he could not easily hand over the State’s administration entirely to Abdulla.

That was the reason why he was for a democratic set-up in the State. It became necessary that I should be eased out of my office. After I left, Sheikh Abdulla also thought that it would be much easier for him to drive out the Maharaja. Events proved that he was right.

I have had the highest respect for the Maharaja and the friendly relations thus started between us continued till his death. My only regret is that the Government of India did not treat the Maharaja in the manner that he deserved. So far as personal Status and the privy purse are concerned, the Maharaja was not treated
as reasonably as many other rulers.

To be continued.....