The sentiments of profound Nationalism, turned into a flame, with a deep rooted conviction for annexation in Bharat spreading widely among Jammu and Ladakh region. The more, the people expressed their determination for accession to Bharat, the more,  they were accused of spreading an armed attack, on the nation, by none other than the Prime Minister of Bharat!!!

Pandit Nehru would regularly mention Praja Parishad in his addresses. In one of his speeches, – ” This agitation of the Parishad, is not against the Government of Jammu Kashmir but it is against Bharat and Bharatiya Parliament. Jammu has been their main fort and they wish to initiate an agitation, across the nation, on its strength. The Akali Dal leaders have been roaring passionately in favour of Praja Parishad.”

He labelled the agitation as subversive, reactionary, offensive and anti-social. It was obvious that such statements by Pandit Nehru blazed the already boiling relationship with Pakistan and they took every advantage of the strained situation. Almost one month had passed to the agitation and the National Conference Government was not in the mood to have an amicable solution. 

On the 14th of December, Melaram and four of his Satyagrahi colleagues had planned to unfurl the national flag over the Tehsil headquarters of Chamb. There was strict police deployment along with Kashmiri Militia,  in the area and around the venue. Not even a single soul could infiltrate. All four Satyagrahis were marching towards the headquarter, holding Tiranga in one hand and the portrayal of Bharat’s President, Dr Rajendra Prasad hung on their chest. Thousands of people were following them. The police had cordoned the area. The entire atmosphere was filled with sloganeering by the Satyagrahis.

Melaram was in no mood to relent back and fearlessly, within the seconds, he climbed over the wall of the structure with the Tiranga in hand. Now, it was a matter of minutes and he would have unfurled the Bharatiya flag, on top. The police had been given the strictest order, to not allow the Bharatiya national flag to be unfurled at any cost. The police began firing from the ground and Melaram fell to earth, holding the Tiranga tightly, in his hand. He became the first martyr, of the agitation who ‘gifted’ his life for the unification of Motherland.

People’s fury went unbridled and they picked up the martyr’s dead body. Amidst this chaos, many were injured. The government was not willing to get the dead body to Jammu but somehow, the Satyagrahis reached there and around Thirty Thousand people joined in his funeral and paid their homage. After the funeral, the anger and pain in people’s hearts had aggregated and they offered their arrest in four groups.

One day prior, Pandit Nehru had alleged the agitation as anti- Bharat; but Melaram’s martyrdom with Tiranga in one hand and Dr Rajendra Prasad’s photo in the other busted this allegation. In his heart, Pandit Nehru had discerned the patriotic conviction behind this agitation. Immediately, he secretly conveyed to Shaikh Abdullah – ” As of now, the Praja Parishad seems to have empathy from the larger section of the people. The frustration among them is immensely widespread. Some of the grievances of the Parishad could be rational and some of the grudges could be inappropriate. But, there is massive dissatisfaction prevailing among people. The people of Jammu strongly feel that Kashmir Valley has been given undue importance whereas they have been neglected. Not only that, they have condemned Kashmiris as the root of spreading this Cancer.”

The state government formed an enquiry committee for the firing at Chamb. Praja Parishad boycotted this committee and demanded that the enquiry should be set up not by the state government but by the Government of Bharat, under the leadership of the supreme court judge. While the agitation was in full force, the Congress Working Committee meeting (Rashtriya Adhiveshan) was held at Hyderabad. Pandit Nehru invited Shaikh Abdullah to address the delegates and put forward the National Conference’s version of Jammu-Kashmir. Shaikh had acquired a knack for changing his stance according to the audience. He would speak about nationalism and patriotic value while addressing the Congress delegates. But, his teeth about speaking and promising and enforcing the given promise were different. There was a vast difference between his words in Bharat and his action in Kashmir and the people of Jammu and Ladakh had well grasped this reality.

Praja Parishad also took a call to grab this opportunity and put forward their side. They knew that Congress would never give them a chance to present themselves, Hence, Parishad decided to get the details about their demands and ideology, printed and distributed among the karyakarata at the meeting. A few of the Parishad karyakatas reached Hyderabad, in disguise, under the leadership of Ramnath Balgotra ji.  Pandit Nehru had decided not to reveal Praja Parishad’s demands and patriotic values to the delegates.

But, the Parishad’s karyakartas broke away from the siege and entered the tent in disguise. Within no time, every single person present inside had the Parishad’s pamphlets in their hand. 

Their task was almost achieved. The police captured them and were taking them to the police station. On the way, to the utter dismay of the police force, at the Red light signal, Balgotra ji managed to break away from police custody and flee. The police issued their arrest warrant. Later, the warrant was challenged in the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court dismissed it.

Their attempt had served its purpose. The ‘hidden’ truth about Jammu and Ladakh and the atrocities bestowed upon them, had been unveiled to the nation. When Shaikh Abdullah rose to address, the delegates were well aware of reality, hence his words were hardly impactful.

Eventually, Pandit Nehru was compelled to accept that the people of Jammu and Ladakh were unhappy and their grievances should be resolved. This statement elated the Jammu citizens. They were hopeful that Panditji had finally understood and taken note of their plight, hence would hear the resentment of both sides and give a just solution.

But, Shaikh Abdullah refused to acknowledge any such allegations. The news about unjust treatment towards Jammu and Ladakh had begun circulating, but Shaikh had been hardly unnerved of its consequences.

It had just been Fourteen days since the martyrdom of Melaram of Chamb and the Abdullah Government killed three more Satyagrahis!!! On the 28th of December 1952, it was decided to unfurl the Tiranga at Sundarbani and Jamadar Fularam and his colleagues would get arrested. The people from all neighbouring villages were trying to reach Sunderbani.

A small village named Vasaiya, on the way to Sundarbans, had a huge population of bodybuilders. The people of Vasaiya were also reaching out to Sundarbani. The collector of Poonch had reached Vasaiya along with the Kashmiri Militia to control the possible chaos.

The entire village had gathered outside the Collector’s office. Fularam climbed and unfurled the Tiranga above the office but the Militia dismantled the rope attached to the flag. The Satyagrahis would not relent and they again unfurled the flag. The Collector himself attempted to bring down the flag. The entire surrounding was buzzing with sloganeering of ‘Bharat mata ki Jay’.

Amidst the mayhem, the Collector was injured and the police began firing. The twenty-five-year-old Krishnalal and Twenty-year-old Ramlal died on the spot. Beliram was hurt by the police firing and fell to the ground. The police hit him hard with a huge stone, on his head. He too expired on the spot.

The police picked up the dead bodies of the deceased Satyagrahis and denied returning them to their kin. No one knows to date, where and how they were cremated. Three days later, the Jammu citizens decided to send Mehta Shivdas, Ramlal Sadavrati and a few others to Sundarbani. They appealed to the police and the government officials to hand over the bodies of the martyrdom to their families but instead, they were arrested and in the middle of the night, around 1 am, they were left near Akhnoor.

Twenty-five people including three women were injured due to the police firing. They were admitted to the Army hospital. One of them died. The hospital authority wanted to hand over the dead body to the family but the police disallowed and sealed the entire Sundarbans. The state Government imposed a curfew from 7 pm to 7 am in the Jammu region. No vehicle was allowed during those hours in the area.

Praja Parishad was using every opportunity to propagate their motive behind the agitation as well as Shaikh Abdullah’s perfidious policies. During the first national convention of Bharatiya Jansangh at Kanpur in 1952, Makhkhanlal Ema – worked for strengthening the Jansangh in regions where it did not have its presence, interacting with the delegates about Parishad’s pure and patriotic intent. He conveyed to them that the Parishad leader’s sole motto was the annexation of the entire state of Jammu-Kashmir in Bharat and the extension and implementation of infinite democratic values on the soil of Kashmir.

Initially, Pandit Premnath Dogra welcomed Shaikh too and illustrated his eagerness to stand in support and work hand in hand, as part of the Bharatiya federal system.

In January 1953, Karn Sinh also communicated to Pandit Nehru regarding the situation in the state. He wrote -” It’s been One and a half months since the agitation began on the 14th of November 1952. But, I am in distress to admit that there have not been any positive steps taken by the Government, as yet. The two steps Government should immediately take.  Firstly, should implement the rest of the provisions of the Delhi settlements, immediately. Secondly,  to draw out the outline of the mechanism for regional autonomy should be charted out without delay. Both these works should be taken up immediately as the National Conference is entitled to implement both these subjects. Along with it, the steps should be taken up to solve the economic difficulties faced in Jammu.”

On the same day,  the 4th of January 1953, when one and a half months had passed by to the agitation by Praja Parishad and four Satyagrahis had obtained martyrdom in Chamb and Sundarbani, Shaikh Abdullah visited Jammu for the very first time.

When asked about communication with Praja Parishad and finding of a solution, he replied -” If people of Jammu are adamant about separating and shedding ties with Kashmir then what can I do about it (!?) Can not force anyone to stay together but one thing is for certain; The Government would not bow down to any pressure. We have not succumbed in the past and will never do so, in the future.”

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