Jammu Central Jail was filled with Satyagrahis. There was hardly any arrangement for food and other basic amenities. The agitated Satyagrahis turned furious with such derogatory treatment being imparted to the political prisoners in their own country but they were ‘rewarded’ with a Lathi charge, inside the jail premises. Several Satyagrahis were badly hurt. Pandit Premnath Dogras who was also imprisoned in the same jail, began a hunger strike to oppose this atrocity. Eventually, the jail in-charge officers had to relent and fulfill Satyagrahi’s demands. Panditji ended his hunger strike only after the Satyagrahis were given proper food. 

His presence inside Jammu jail, which was his own forte, motivated the Satyagrahis and their determination to fight the National Conference Government became stronger. Hence, to crush his influence, he was transferred to the Srinagar prison. The agitation by Praja Parishad may have been restricted within the state of Jammu-Kashmir. The regional outfit conducted the operation but the issues related to the agitation were of national significance. Its importance had a profound and far-reaching impact, thus it had become a debatable matter across the nation.

Though Pandit Nehru was adamantly standing beside Shaikh Abdullah, a difference of opinion, regarding extending support towards his sectarian conduct, existed within the Congress. The Communists had always been in support of Shaikh’s strategy but Bharatiya Jansangh, Ram Rajya Parishad, Hindu Mahasabha, and Akali Dal were in agreement with the demands and viewpoint of Praja Parishad.

Praja Parishad’s president Pandit Premnath Dogra presented their perspective and dialectics to all the notable political parties. Bharatiya Jan Sangh had emphasized the Jammu – Kashmir issue since its inception and time and again raised a question about it. Similarly, Ram Rajya Parishad and Hindu Mahasabha were also opposing the Shaikh-Nehru design of Kashmir.

As Pandit Nehru had taken the Kashmir issue to the United Nations, whatever transpired in the state, immediately turned into a controversial issue, across the nation. Generally, the larger section of English media projected the point of view of the Government but the vernacular media took the vision of other political outfits like Praja Parishad, Bharatiya Jan Sangh, and Akali Dal into consideration.

Shaikh Abdullah had put, all the plans in action, regarding the formation of autonomous sovereignty in the state. The constituent assembly was designing a separate constitution for the state. Shaikh wanted a separate flag for the state, which was a rude shock for the newly derived democratic system. 

Very importantly, the constitution of Bharat had sketched out a special position for the head of the princely states, which fell in the “C” category. They were appointed as the “Rajpramukh” of the state, in place of the governor and the President himself did the appointment. But, Shaikh Abdullah had different plans. He demolished this arrangement and initiated the appointment of ‘Sadar-e-Riyasat” being elected by the state assembly instead of the president of Bharat!!!

This was a straight challenge to the decorum of the President’s status. To oppose this ignominy, Bharatiya Jansangh gave a call for protest. They declared the June 29th as the “Kashmir Diwas” and took out Prabhat Feri, Processions, and public meetings across Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.

Praja Parishad and Bharatiya Jansangh decided to aware the entire nation about the injustice and barbarism prevailing in Jammu-Kashmir. The Parliamentarians from different political outfits signed a memorandum to declare Fourteenth December as the “Jammu-Kashmir Day”. Apart from Dr. Shyamaprasad Mukharjee of Bharatiya Jan Sangh, Nirmal Chandra Chatterjee, N B Khare, S Ramchandra Reddy, Rajendra Narayan Sinhdev, Hukum Sinh, Vishnu Ghanshyam Deshpande, Anne Meskarin, Umashankar Trivedi signed the memorandum.

The people and leaders from various strata were coming out to extend their support. Yet, Pandit Nehru was unable to grasp the pulse of the common Bharatiya. Instead, he turned more obstinate and ordered all the Chief Ministers to imprison the Satyagrahis and crush the agitation. Under these chaotic circumstances, Bharatiya Jansangh ‘s first convention was held in Kanpur from the 29th to the 31st of December 1952. 

Dr. Shyamaprasad Mukharjee was the first president of the party and he put forward and discussed the Praja Parishad’s agitation for Jammu-Kashmir’s infinite annexation in Bharat, in detail.

He narrated to the audience of delegates how the wrong picture of the Praja Parishad’s agitation was projected to the nation. He said, ” People of Jammu consider the land of Bharat as the pious one and wish to be an integral part of it. It is unfortunate that the Government of Bharat has not only caused hindrance in it but also has accused them as regressive, anti-national, and even Pakistan’s close buddy!!! The Government of Bharat has surrendered to the demands raised by Shaikh Abdullah and his associates. Bharatiya Government’s vision has turned blurred due to their obscure thoughts of secularism.

Nehru and Shaikh Abdullah’, both have been following the policy of extreme barbarousness in Jammu. But, I would like to explicitly declare that following the policy of barbarousness, would not solve the issue. The increasing barbarity would bring exceedingly fatal results. Don’t Nehru and Shaikh Abdullah know that through atrocity, their own agitations could also be curbed?! In fact, they benefitted from the atrocities bestowed upon them. I would like to request Shri Nehru and Shaikh Abdullah to leave this method of atrocity and abandon the fictitious prestige, attached to it. They should communicate with the current leadership of Jammu and find a way out which would be pertinent, sound, and legitimate for all. Continuation of the current situation in Jammu would be undesirable. It is in Nehru and Shaikh Abdullah’s hands to eradicate the fear from the minds of people’s representatives of Jammu, which would enable all of them to pursue re-capturing the one-third region of the Jammu-Kashmir state, which had still been lying in the hands of Pakistan as our national humiliation. Alongside, our empathy is with all those people, who have been bearing the brunt of the Government’s fury and enduring the torture for foremost purpose.”

The Bharatiya Jansangh advocated a memorandum in favor of Praja Parishad’s agitation in the Kanpur convention. Accordingly, it marked the significance of Praja Parishad’s agitation. It was not only an important movement for the state of Jammu-Kashmir but it was equally pivotal for the unimpaired and secured Bharat. Neither anyone in the state had been willing to re-impose the monarchy nor this agitation could be labeled as the communal one as a number of Muslims have also been participating in it, openly.

The convention acknowledged and admired the dignified restrain maintained by the people of Jammu, which they had portrayed, through enduring endless distress and agony. It also paid tribute to all those martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the upkeep of the sanctity of the National flag.

Bharatiya Jansangh extended a deterrent to Shaikh Abdullah, rebuking his method of repression, and cautioned him that a people’s movement would not be impaired by his suppressive tactics. The convention suggested a round table conference between Praja Parishad’s leaders, representatives of the Abdullah Government, and appointed leaders of the Government of Bharat.

It declared that if the Government of Bharat, would not take immediate steps to bring out a solution, then the convention would grant permission to the National Executive Council, to launch a nationwide agitation or whatever is necessary, for the annexation of Jammu-Kashmir in Bharat. Bharatiya Jan Sangh was keen on assessing the situation in the state, prior to extending support to the agitation across the nation and hence, they appointed a Seven-member delegation, who would visit Jammu and appraise.

The delegation included Lal Sinh Shekhawat – Vice President of Rajasthan Vidhansabha, Curnol D N Bhadudi from Bengal, Hariditt- Member of Legislative assembly from Rajasthan, Vaidya Gurudutt – the president of Delhi Jansangh, Chiranji Lal Mishra and Thakur Ummid Singh – MLA from Uttar Pradesh and Premnath Joshi, an Attorney from Punjab.

But, the Government of Bharat did not permit the delegation to go to Jammu, Dr. Mukharjee put in every effort to arrange a meeting between Pandit Nehru and the leaders of Praja Parishad. But, Nehru did not oblige. He was not prepared to give an ear to any other side than that of Shaikh Abdullah. He point blank refused to even meet Pandit Premnath Dogra.

The Praja Parishad’s agitation was getting immense public support in Jammu. Dr. Mukharjee tried communicating and interacting with Pandit Nehru, through letters. He would send the same letters to Shaikh to keep him in a loop.

He wrote the first letter to Pandit Nehru on the 9th of January 1953 and the last one on the 17th of February. He sent the same letter to Shaikh Abdullah on the 3rd of February and the last one on the 23rd of February. He desperately tried getting an amicable solution between the agitators and the Shaikh Government and Pandit Nehru.

Sources of Information :

हमारी भूलोका स्मारक : धर्मांतरित कश्मीर – नरेन्द्र सहगल

कश्मीर : दहकते अंगारे – जगमोहन जी

जम्मू कश्मीर की अनकही कहानियां – कुलदीप चंद अग्निहोत्री

Kashmir : Behind The Vale – M J Akbar

My Frozen Turbulence in Kashmir – Jagmohan ji