Jammu, Sep 25: Aam Aadmi Party J&K on Monday said the people of the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir, irrespective of caste, creed & colour should remember the “remarkable and progressive” contributions of Maharaja Hari Singh.
He was a brave Dogra ruler, who treated all the sections of society equally and was of the view that justice to all in his “Dharma”, the AAP leaders Kuldeep Kumar Rao and S. Ranjodh Singh said in a joint statement issued here.
They added, “Maharaj Hari Singh took a number of historic and bold decisions for SC, women and the downtrodden people. He was the first ruler to open the doors of temples to permit the Dalits to perform Pooja. He was of the view that the girl should be given equal opportunities for education & progress in life. He was a visionary and progressive in thinking. He made the state subject law in the year 1927 to protect the rights of local residents of Jammu & Kashmir state with respect to owning land & services irrespective of caste, creed & colour. He created the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir in 1928, which was 6th in India after Calcutta, Madras, Bombay, Allahabad and Patna. He promulgated the constitution of Jammu & Kashmir on 7th September 1939 providing for executive, legislature and judiciary.”
After the disturbance in British India on the eve of partition, Maharaja signed made standstill agreement with Pakistan, but he was betrayed when aggression was launched by Pakistan on the state, they said.
“Maharaja requested military help from the then India’s Prime Minister but it was not given. His Army Chief Brigadier Rajinder Singh Jamwal was martyred in Uri defending Kashmir against Pak aggression. Maharaja then signed the instrument of accession with the Dominion of India on 26 October 1947, on three subjects – Defense, External Affairs and Communication. Despite the Indian Army coming to defend J&K on October 27, 1947, much area continued to remain under the illegal occupation of Pakistan,” they said.
The AAP leader said Maharaja was made to leave the J&K state and he finally died in Bombay in 1961. “The challenges and conspiracies around Maharaja Hari Singh make him tall in the historical analysis. Maharaja was a hardcore patriot, who in the round table conference held at London, strongly advocated for the Independence of the country from the British,” the AAP leaders said.
His life has many instances, which keep inspiring the people of J&K’s erstwhile state as well as other parts of the country, they said, adding, “Today, the great state of J&K is fragmented and downgraded. This situation gives more reason to study and understand the J&K and build people unity.”
