Junagadh History: How The Last Nawab's Move To Join Pakistan Poorly Backfired In 1947
Junagadh Nawab Mahabat Khan III's decision to accede to Pakistan in 1947 was influenced by Diwan Shah Nawaz Bhutto's political ambitions, and his own preoccupation with leisure rather than governance.
Junagadh History: The story of Junagadh's accession is a fascinating, yet often overlooked chapter in Indian history. It’s a tale of intrigue, political manoeuvering, and the consequences of a Nawab’s love for leisure over statecraft. While the broader narrative of India’s partition focuses on the dramatic and bloody events in Punjab and Bengal, Junagadh’s decision to first go with Pakistan and then its accession to India remain a historical curiosity.
In May 1947, as India edged toward independence, the Nawab of Junagadh, Mahabat Khan III, left the princely state on a vacation, an ill-timed decision that would prove to be a pivotal moment for his reign. Junagadh’s population was predominantly Hindu, but the Nawab was highly respected. The man, however, was known more for his passions — be it theatre or his famous love for dogs — than for political strategy. Mahabat Khan trusted his ministers to run the state in his absence.
This period of inattention, combined with the illness of his Diwan, Abdul Kadir Muhammad Hussain who was went abroad for treatment, left a power vacuum that would have long-lasting repercussions.
Enter Shah Nawaz Bhutto, a brilliant but ambitious politician from a Shia Muslim wealthy landowning family in Sindh's Larkana, who had only recently been appointed Junagadh’s new Diwan. Bhutto, with his deep-rooted connections to Pakistan’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and his own political aspirations, would become the key figure in this dramatic chapter.
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Bhutto’s Rise And Junagadh's Decision To Join Pakistan
Shah Nawaz Bhutto’s political career began in the Bombay Legislative Assembly, where his sharp intellect and political acumen quickly earned him recognition. Bhutto was only 33 when he was elected to the Bombay Legislative Assembly in 1921. At the time, Sindh (now in Pakistan) was part of the Bombay Legislative Assembly. Bhutto served in the assembly until 1936, during which he was also appointed a minister in the Bombay government in 1934. On April 1, 1936, Sindh became a separate province, and Shah Nawaz Bhutto was made the chief advisor to the Governor of Sindh.
By 1947, he had risen to a prominent position within the court of Junagadh, gaining the trust of the Nawab. He joined Mahabat Khan's council of ministers, and was on May 30, 1947, appointed Junagadh’s new Diwan.
It was during this time, with the Nawab abroad and the state's governance in his hands, that Bhutto made his decisive move.
The backdrop to Bhutto's political manoeuvering was the rapidly unfolding drama of India’s independence.
As the British prepared to leave, the princely states were given the option to join either India or Pakistan. Junagadh, a small state in modern-day Gujarat with a majority Hindu population, seemed like an obvious candidate for India. However, Bhutto had other plans.
Despite the Nawab’s advisor, Nabi Baksh, signalling to British Viceroy Lord Mountbatten that Junagadh would likely accede to India, Bhutto chose to follow a different course. His close friendship with Jinnah, and the latter's desire to see Junagadh as a part of Pakistan, put Bhutto in a position of immense influence. He began persuading the absent Nawab that joining Pakistan would be in the state’s best interest, deliberately withholding information that could have swayed the Nawab toward India.
By the time the Nawab returned from his travels, the wheels had already been set in motion. Isolated and unaware of the full political climate back home, Nawab Mahabat Khan III eventually accepted Bhutto’s advice and decided that Junagadh would accede to Pakistan.
The decision sparked outrage among the state’s predominantly Hindu population and provoke a larger political crisis.
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The Fallout And The Provisional Government
As news of Junagadh’s accession to Pakistan broke, the local people erupted in protest. The state, known for its cultural vibrancy and the Nawab’s patronage of the arts, suddenly found itself at the centre of a geopolitical tug-of-war. Bhutto, who remained the de facto ruler after the Nawab’s departure to Karachi, faced increasing unrest. To maintain order, he gave his forces free rein to suppress dissent, further alienating the local population.
At that time, reverred Saurashtra leader Uchchhrangarai Dhebar and VP Menon, the then Secretary, Ministry of the States, under Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, had tried to meet the Junagadh Nawab, but were prevented by Bhutto.
Meanwhile, in Bombay (now Mumbai), a provisional government was formed under the leadership of Samaldas Gandhi, with the explicit aim of keep Junagadh with India. This provisional government, known as the Aarzi Hukumat, began organising resistance against Bhutto’s regime and garnered support from influential figures in the Indian government, including Sardar Patel.
In November 1947, with public pressure mounting and the Aarzi Hukumat gaining momentum, Bhutto’s hold over Junagadh began to falter. Indian forces entered the princely state, and under increasing pressure, Shah Nawaz Bhutto fled to Pakistan along with the Nawab. The controversial decision to join Pakistan had backfired spectacularly.
In the end, Junagadh formally acceded to India, and the brief but turbulent episode of its flirtation with Pakistan became a footnote in the larger story of India’s independence.
This report first appeared on ABP Asmita, and has been translated from Gujarati.
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