Prime Minister of Kashmir continues....

Q. “Some people have crossed over from Chamba to Bhadarwah and a deputation has been received from there that they are being pressed to go out of the State. Will people who have already entered the State be turned out?”
A. “This is against the rule of hospitality. Of course if they are undesirable we may have to take some action against them.” The leading Newspaper of the State and the official organ of the National Conference, the Khidmat, printed the proceedings of the press conference in some details with the following headlines. “The P.M. said: Such a Government should be established in the State which would be answerable to the public as well as to the Maharaja. My purpose of coming here is to serve the poor and the janata of the State of Kashmir.”

Another headline read:
“Communalistic administration must be tabood.” P.M. said, “Judge me on the touchstone of my actions.”

The Tribune of Ambala in its issue dated October 23, described the conditions prevailing near about the time and date of my press Conference in these terms:
“We said yesterday that on the other side of the border Pakistan had been developing Hitlerian appetite and Hitlerian strength. Messages emanating from Srinagar fully bear out our contention. Indeed not a day passes when reports do not come from one place or another indicating that Pakistan’s intentions are acquisitive and its plans are aggressive and its preparations are bellicose. It is arming its people by issuing licenses to them freely, it is strengthening its National Guards and regular army and accumulating the sinews of war and it is making inroads into certain regions in its vicinity. The nefarious game it has been carrying on in Kashmir and on the border of the State has been completely exposed by the telegram sent by the Kashmir Government to Mr. Jinnah and Mr. Liaquat Ali and the statement made by the Kashmir Premier, Mr. Mehr Chand Mahajan, at a press conference. The Pakistan Government’s reply to them contains nothing but dishonest denials and false accusations.

To be continued....