Blinded by loyalty to Sheikh Abdullah, Nehru abandoned patriot Hari Singh who secured Jammu & Kashmir for India. Singh, the last ruling monarch of Jammu & Kashmir, spent his final years in exile in Bombay after being sidelined from power in 1947. The Maharaja, who had willingly signed the Instrument of Accession with India, was pushed out of his own state by Nehru to favor Sheikh Abdullah. This betrayal by Nehru allowed Sheikh to take power in 1949 and split Singh’s family. Despite Singh’s willingness to defend Sheikh in the past, Nehru’s hatred for Singh and love for Sheikh clouded his judgment. Nehru’s decision to halt military operations during the conflict with Pakistan in 1948 and his refusal to provide necessary support led to the loss of Gilgit-Baltistan to Pakistan. Today, India only retains a fraction of the original state of Jammu & Kashmir ruled by Maharaja Hari Singh. Nehru’s dismissal of Sheikh in 1953 did not see Singh reinstated in Jammu & Kashmir during his lifetime, as Nehru could not admit his mistake. Singh’s legacy lives on as his ashes were ceremonially immersed in the Tawi River in Jammu. The betrayal of patriot Hari Singh by Nehru remains a significant blunder in Indian history.
The Betrayal of Patriot Hari Singh by Nehru
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