Hyderabad was one of the largest & the richest princely states of pre-partition India. It not only comprised of the present-day states of Telangana & Andhra Pradesh but also of some parts of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh & Tamil Nadu. At the time of independence, the state was ruled by Mir Osman Ali Khan, the 7^th Nizam.

The Nizam dynasty came to rule Hyderabad after Aurangzeb laid a very long siege to Golconda in 1687 CE & the last King of the Qutab Shahi dynasty, Abul Hassan Thana Shah, surrendered to him. Abul Hassan, a follower of Persianate Shia culture, was imprisoned in Daulatabad where he eventually died.

The state of Hyderabad comprised of a population of around 85% Hindus & 15% Muslims at the time of partition of the country. The nobility, the aristocracy, army & the police of the state were almost all Muslims. The 30,000 strong army of the Nizam was led by Maj. Gen. Syed Ahmed El Edroos, who was an Arab. The Nizam army also included elements that were Arab, Turks, Pathans & Rohillas.

On that critical days leading to 15^th Aug 1947 the Nizam decided that he shall strive to make Hyderabad an independent state.

The main actors that played a critical role during this period under the Nizam were Qasim Rizvi & Laik Ali & the organizations; Majis-e-Ittehad-ul-Musalmeen (MIM) & Razakars.

MIM was formed in 1927, initially as a cultural religious organization but soon started following in the footsteps of Muslim League of Ali Mohammad Jinnah in the British India. MIM was founded by Bahadur Khan, a young Jagirdar, with the blessings of the Nizam. Bahadur Khan was a fierce orator & because of his oratorical skills he was bestowed with the title of Bahadur Yar Jung. His oratory laced with militant streak endeared him to the Muslim masses, however he died very young under mysterious circumstances. The control of MIM thereafter fell into the hands of Qasim Rizvi, who was a lawyer from Latur though hailing from the present-day Uttar Pradesh. He too was a firebrand leader who would regularly exhort his followers to remember that they had conquered India by force & they were born to rule.

Well before August 1947 he had raised a 200,000 strong force of Razakars who were armed with all kinds of weaponry including guns. As the date of partition of the country started getting closer the Razakars started tormenting the majority community of Hyderabad who fled for their safety into the jungles & the bordering states of India. Rizvi seemed to have had a complete control over Nizam & proclaimed that in case of a showdown with the new Indian Nation he would ensure that Asafia flag flutters over the Red Fort in Delhi in near future. He exhorted the Razakars to march with sword in one hand & the Holy Quran in the other & annihilate all opposition. This became a huge cause of worry for the majority Hindu population.

Another important character during the last days under the Nizamshahi was Laik Ali. He was an engineer by training & an industrialist by profession who was a supporter of Qasim Rizvi’s MIM & Razakars.

Laik Ali became Prime Minister under the Nizam on 29^th Nov 1947. It’s believed that his appointment was a result of his close relationship with MA Jinnah & also because of the pressure put on the Nizam by the MIM/Razakars headed by Qasim Rizvi who wanted their own person at this position because of the continuing stalemate with respect to the status of the princely state of Hyderabad. Before his appointment as PM in Hyderabad Laik Ali was Pakistan’s representative at the United Nations.

Prior to appointment of Laik Ali as the PM another PM was compelled to resign by MIM/Razakars. It was Nawab Muhammad Ali Khan, the Nawab of Chattari & the PM of Nizam. He had to resign as he was not allowed by the MIM/Razakars to leave his house in Hyderabad for a meeting in Delhi regarding the standstill agreement with the Indian government. Such was the dread & clout of the MIM/Razakars at this crucial time in the history of Hyderabad & Indian Nation. It is also believed that Qasim Rizvi had the full support of the Nizam.

The standstill agreement was finally signed on 29^th Nov 1947. Agents General were posted in Delhi & Hyderabad; KM Munshi in Hyderabad & Zain Yar Jung in Delhi. A 12-member ministry nominated by MIM was formed which included 04 Hindus.

Qasim Rizvi had complete control over the affairs of the state & because of this there was complete “harmony between King Kothi, the abode of Nizam, Shah Manzil, the PM house & Dar-e-Salam, the HQ of MIM”.

But then the dark clouds of war & mayhem started hovering over the horizon of Hyderabad. Muslim refugees of the partition riots were encouraged to move to Hyderabad so that the ratio of Muslims in Hyderabad was improved & Hindus were terrorized to leave the state.

Nizam had started dovetailing its policies & politics with that of Pakistan & even sanctioned a loan of Rs. 200 million to Pakistan. They had started scouting for weapons, ammunition & armaments from Europe as it was flush with used weapons after the end of world war. Hyderabad also stopped supply of metals to India. In turn Govt of India initiated economic blockade of the state. Nizam also raised a paramilitary force of around 40,000 called the “askars”. The trains passing through Hyderabad to Indian enclaves were ambushed. Razakars continued to harass the population also on the Indian side of the dividing line between the two “countries”. Effort by Lord Mountbatten & Monckton (advisor to Nizam) to settle the issue before the departure of the Viceroy in Dec 1948 bore no fruit & the situation continued to turn grave.

On 17^th August 1948 the Nizam sent a delegation to the United Nations to place their case before the security council. The case was eventually closed after Hyderabad acceded to India.

Meanwhile both sides started getting ready for the imminent war & on 13^th September 1948 operation polo was launched by the Indian Army under General JN Choudhuri. Resistance from the Nizam’s army folded up by the 17^th Sept notwithstanding the bravadoes of Qasim Rizvi.

Hyderabad was liberated on 17^th September 1948.

Laik Ali & Qasim Rizvi were placed under house arrest & Gen Adroos was arrested too & later released – being a foreign national.

Qasim Rizvi was sentenced to 7 years rigorous imprisonment on 10^th Sept 1950. He was lodged initially in Chanchalguda jail in Hyderabad & later shifted to Yervada jail in Pune as he continued to use his influence in Hyderabad for creating mischief.

On 11^th Sept 1957 he was released from the Yervada jail with the condition that he will migrate to Pakistan. Qasim Rizvi was shocked to find that none of his comrades from MIM came to receive him when he was released from jail except Zahid Ali Kamil, his advocate. He was driven to Hyderabad where he called General Body Meeting of the MIM. Only 40 of the 140 members turned up. He tried to persuade some of the members present to take over the presidentship of the MIM. None came forward.

Finally, probably unilaterally, he announced the name of Abdul Khair Siddique, who had been secretary of the party & a criminal lawyer too to take over the leadership of MIM, but he politely refused.

Finally, it was Abdul Wahid Owaisi, the grandfather of Asaduddin Owaisi (the present MP of Lok Sabha) who was nominated to head the MIM. The party was later rechristened as AIMIM. Dar-us-Salam, the head quarter of MIM (built on 4 ½ acres of prime land) during those atrocious days of rape, murder & loot by Razakars before Hyderabad’s liberation, was returned to AIMIM by Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy, the then Chief Minister of the state along with the rent for the period during which the state government used the premises.

On 18^th Sept 1957 Qasim Rizvi left for Pakistan where he grew completely disillusioned & died a pauper’s death.

Laik Ali & his family’s escaped from the house imprisonment in one of the most dramatic escapades of history. The Govt of India came to know about their escape only when he appeared in a reception in Karachi & was introduced to the Indian High Commissioner. Suffice to say now is that when the curtained car of the Laik Ali’s wife, who was on her escapade, broke down near the Begumpet airport her cousin tried to push it to start. It so happened that the Police Chief of Hyderabad was passing by & presuming that there was some lady in distress he asked police officers in his escort to help them push the car to start it. The escape was perfect!!

Laik Ali died in New York where he was on a Pakistan government assignment & was buried in the Holy city of Madina as per his will.

Well, what about the Nizam?

Gen JN Choudhuri, the military administrator took control of the Hyderabad State on 18^th Sept 1948, but all government orders (firmans) continued to be issued in the name of the Nizam till 25^th Jan 1950. As the constitution of India came into force on 26^th Jan 1950; the Nizam was confirmed as Raj Pramukh (Governor) of the state.

A comparison with Maharaja Hari Singh of J&K wouldn’t be out of place at this juncture. While the Nizam fought a battle with the nascent State of India with the likes of Qasim Ali & MIM/Razakars on his side he was rehabilitated & made Raj Pramukh.

Maharaja Hari Singh, a Nationalist to the core & who strived to help his subjects in matters of education, justice, health care, eradication of social evils like untouchability, allowing the downtrodden people into temples, agriculture & establishment of power sector in J&K. He declared on his coronation that his religion was “Dharma”. Such a benevolent & foresighted ruler was exiled from J&K on 20^th June 1949 because of the “bonhomie” between Nehru & the Sheikh. He was never allowed to come back & it was only his ashes that returned to his beloved state after his death on 26^th April 1961.

At the first round table conference in London in 1930 Maharaja Hari Singh declared that the Indian Princely states would join an “All India Federation” & pleaded for equal status for Indians in the British Commonwealth of Nations.

Therefore, the declaration of holiday by the Honorable Lieutenant Governor of J&K to mark the birth anniversary of the Maharaja Hari Singh on 23^rd September makes complete sense. We, as Jammuites would like to thank Shri Manoj Sinha ji, HLG, J&K & the Administration under him & congratulate him for the decision. This decision, small as it may sound, formally rehabilitates the memory of the Great Nationalist Maharaja – that was Hari Singh – after a span of 75 years & allows Jammuites to reclaim an important part of history that is being pushed continuously into oblivion by the powers that be.