77th Anniversary of Operation Polo

Why in news?

September 13 marks the 77^th anniversary of Operation Polo.

• Operation Polo is launched by the Indian Armed Forces' military action in September 1948, to annex the princely state of Hyderabad into the Indian Union.
• It is also known as the Police Action.
• Reason - Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan, refused to join India or Pakistan after its independence and sought to remain as an independent ruler.
• Thus, Hyderabad Nizam doesn’t want to sign the Instrument of Accession.

Instrument of accession is an agreement by which the ruler of the princely states agreed to the accession of his kingdom to independent India.

• Hindu majority state - The majority of its population was Hindu, its ruler was a Muslim, who held the hereditary title of the Nizam.
• Strategic Importance - Hyderabad was a large landlocked state in south India, covering present day Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and the Marathwada region of Maharashtra.
• India's Concerns-India feared that an independent Hyderabad would be a security threat, a potential center for instability, and could align with foreign powers.
• Standstill Agreement - In November 1947, a temporary standstill agreement was signed between both the parties, agreeing to the fact that the ties would continue the same as they did under the British.
• Soon after this, an exploitative, communal agricultural structure and the linguistic struggle broke out against the Nizam.
• Razakars, a paramilitary body, the staunch supporters of the Nizam, who went about brutally suppressing the movement against him.
• In the meantime, the Nizam sought to widen the issue by moving the United Nations, took the advice and assistance of Pakistan, and began stockpiling arms.
• Against such a background, the Indian Home Minister Sardar Patel decided to annex Hyderabad.
• On September 13, 1948, the Indian Army marched into Hyderabad following the outbreak of hostilities.
• Outcome - The Nizam of Hyderabad and Razakars surrendered to the Indian army and Hyderabad was annexed into the Indian Union on 18^th September 1948.
• The Nizam remained as the titular head of Hyderabad, until December 1949.
• Thereafter an unelected civilian government was appointed by the Ministry of States. Elections were finally held in 1952.

Quick facts

Reference

Indian Express | Operation Polo