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Operation Polo: HYDERABAD’S INTEGRATION INTO INDIA
1. BACKGROUND OF HYDERABAD AND THE Nizam
At independence (1947), Hyderabad was the largest princely state, covering 2,14,000 sq. km with a population of over 16 million, mostly Hindu (around 85%), ruled by the Muslim Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan.
The Nizam had ruled since 1911 and was considered the richest man in the world at the time.
Hyderabad had its own army, railways, airline, currency, and postal system, reflecting its semi-sovereign status.
The Nizam sought independence and refused to join either India or Pakistan, citing his “special position” under the British Crown.
2. SARDAR PATEL’S CONCERN
Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel saw Hyderabad’s independence as a direct threat.
Its central location would have divided India into north and south, creating a weak and fractured Union.
Patel argued that an “independent Hyderabad would be a cancer in the belly of India,” and pressed for its merger.
3. RISE OF PEASANT REVOLTS AND RAZAKARS
In the 1940s, Telangana peasants revolted against feudal oppression, backed by the Communist Party of India. They demanded land reforms and abolition of bonded labour.
To defend the Nizam’s rule, the Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (MIM), led by Qasim Razvi, created a paramilitary wing called the Razakars.
Razakars grew into a force of around 200,000 men. They:
• Marched in Hyderabad streets with arms.
• Suppressed Hindu-majority peasants.
• Raided villages, looted property, and committed massacres.
• Targeted political activists demanding integration with India.
Their brutality alarmed the Indian government and increased public demand for action.
4. FAILED NEGOTIATIONS
The Nizam initially signed a Standstill Agreement with India in November 1947, under which status quo would be maintained for a year.
Meanwhile, the Nizam secretly tried to import arms from Europe and considered joining Pakistan.
Repeated warnings from Patel and Nehru went unheeded.
By mid-1948, lawlessness caused by Razakars reached a breaking point.
5. OPERATION POLO (SEPTEMBER 13–17, 1948)
India decided on military action. The plan was called Operation Polo (nicknamed “Police Action” to avoid the impression of a war).
Command: Major General J.N. Chaudhuri led the Indian Army.
Forces involved:
• 36,000 Indian troops, including two infantry brigades, one armoured brigade, and an air force contingent.
• Hyderabad had around 22,000 troops and Razakar militias.
Timeline:
• September 13: Indian troops entered from the west and south.
• September 14–16: Armoured divisions crushed resistance; Indian Air Force bombed strategic targets.
• September 17: Hyderabad’s army surrendered.
6. THE NIZAM’S SURRENDER
On September 17, 1948, the Nizam broadcast his decision to join India.
The Razakars were banned, and Qasim Razvi was later jailed.
The Nizam was retained as Rajpramukh (ceremonial head) until 1956, when Hyderabad was reorganised into linguistic states (Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka).
7. AFTERMATH AND IMPACT
Political: Hyderabad was fully integrated, strengthening the Indian Union.
Social: Communal violence occurred during and after the operation; official estimates put casualties at around 1,500–2,000, but some independent reports suggest much higher.
Administrative: Elections were held in 1952, giving Hyderabad its first democratic government.
Symbolism: Patel’s resolve and Operation Polo became a landmark in Indian state-building, demonstrating India’s firmness against separatism.
SYNOPSIS
Operation Polo (1948) was India’s decisive military action to annex Hyderabad after the Nizam’s refusal to join the Union. The operation crushed the Razakars, ended feudal oppression, and preserved India’s territorial unity. Though violent, it reinforced India’s commitment to integration and democratic governance, ensuring Hyderabad’s place within the Republic.
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