CBI Files Case Against College Trustee and Faculty Member for Alleged Bribery
New Delhi, August 25: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a case against Pratik Mori, a trustee of Nobel Ayurvedic College in Junagadh, Gujarat, and faculty member Dr. Abhay Nalavade. They are accused of attempting to bribe a member of the hearing committee of the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) ... Read more CBI Files Case Against College Trustee and Faculty Member for Alleged Bribery
Some Unknown Footnotes Of Independence
ASHOK OGRA Lord Mountbatten announced the Partition plan on All-India Radio on 3 June 1947. He was followed on the microphone by Nehru, Jinnah and Baldev Singh (speaking for the Sikhs). The next morning, the Viceroy addressed a press conference. It was here that he suggested, for the first time, that the British would leave not by June 1948 (as originally planned) but by the middle of August 1947, that is, in less than ten weeks. There were many interesting moments leading to Independence that are not talked about as often. Here are a few of them. DEMARCATING BORDERS The task of partitioning Bengal and the Punjab was entrusted to a British judge named Sir Cyril Radcliffe. He was given just 35 days to divide colonial India into two nations. He had no prior knowledge of India (this was deemed an advantage). He was assigned four advisers: two Muslims, one Hindu, and one Sikh. But since they fought on every point, he soon dispensed with them. He did not bother to visit the areas that were to be demarcated. Journalist Jayanta Kalita writes that Radcliffe submitted his final boundary maps on August 12, 1947. But Mountbatten decided not to make them public immediately. So, when Pakistan became independent on August 14 and India on August 15, people did not know exactly where the border would run. The Radcliffe Line was announced only on August 17. The confusion that followed was enormous. Families suddenly discovered that their homes were in one country and their fields in another. In Punjab, Muslim-majority areas of Gurdaspur district went to India, giving it an important land route to Kashmir. Pakistan strongly opposed the decision. In the east, the mainly Buddhist Chittagong Hill Tracts went to East Pakistan, leading to tensions and displacement. Radcliffe left India on August 18. Disturbed by the bloodshed, he reportedly burned his notes, refused his 3,000 fee and never returned to the subcontinent. The story of integrating the princely states presented a greater challenge. RECALCITRANT PRINCELY STATES India became independent on August 15, 1947, but the India we know today had not yet fully taken shape. More than 560 princely states had to decide their future. Most had acceded to India, but some important states were still holding out. Kashmir had not joined either India or Pakistan. Maharaja Hari Singh remained ambivalent. Hyderabad wanted to remain independent, while Hindu-majority Junagadh opted for Pakistan, creating a serious problem. Bhopal, Travancore and some other states had also shown reluctance to join India. There were other smaller princely states across central, northern and western India that had their own doubts and concerns. Jodhpur and Indore, too, hesitated at different stages. The possibility of India ending up as a patchwork of separate territories was not entirely out of the question. Writer-journalist Josy Joseph, in his well-researched book Birth of a Nation: Twenty-One Days That Made India, gives a fascinating account of those anxious days leading up to Independence. He writes about the pressure being put on the princes as their hopes of remaining independent began to fade. Nehru was firm. Patel and his ministry were prepared to go beyond persuasion if necessary. One of the first princes to come over to Patels side was the Maharaja of Bikaner. His Dewan was K. M. Panikkar, a widely respected historian who, more clearly than other people, could see that the Vasco da Gama epoch of Asian history. This encouraged other princely states in the region to voluntarily join the Dominion of India. A number of people worked behind the scenes. One of the most important was V. P. Menon. He had started his career as a typist and rose through the administrative system to become Patel's key aide in dealing with the princes. Officials, activists and intelligence operatives also played their part. In one of his books, Menon describes in some detail the tortuous negotiations with the rulers. The process of give and take involved much massaging of egos: one ruler claimed descent from Lord Rama, another from Sri Krishna, while a third said his lineage was immortal, as it had been blessed by the Sikh Gurus. I have a personal memory connected with the late V. P. Menon. Capt. C. P. Nair, founder of the Leela group of hotels, was a dear friend. Whenever I was in Mumbai, I would often stay at the Leela. He was a nephew of V. P. Menon and would regale me with stories about his uncle-his pragmatism, his practical approach and the way he could be soft and firm at the same time while dealing with the princely states and their Dewans. Manipur and Tripura had their own stories. They acceded to India in 1947 but retained considerable internal autonomy before their complete merger with India in 1949. The major unresolved cases were settled later, and in different ways. Junagadh eventually became part of India after a hectic parleys and pressure. Hyderabad was integrated in September 1948 through Operation Polo. Kashmir acceded to India in October 1947 after tribal forces from Pakistan entered the state and the Maharaja sought India's military assistance. This was the uncertain political situation when the Constituent Assembly met in Delhi on the night of August 14-15 to mark India's freedom. THE MIDNIGHT SESSION The Constituent Assembly met at 11 pm, with Dr Rajendra Prasad presiding. Sucheta Kripalani opened the proceedings by singing Vande Mataram. Rajendra Prasad paid tribute to Gandhi and reassured minorities about their rights. Then came Nehru's Tryst with Destiny speech: At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. Nehru also reminded the country that Independence was not just an occasion for celebration. It carried a responsibility to serve India and its people. There were other important voices that night. Muslim League leader Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman, who was still a member of the Indian Constituent Assembly, supported Nehru's pledge and spoke of governing without favour. S. Radhakrishnan spoke about India's largely peaceful transfer of political power and contrasted it with the violence that had often accompanied such changes elsewhere. At midnight, the members stood and took a solemn pledge, dedicating themselves to the service of India and its people and to world peace and human welfare. Then came another memorable moment. Hansa Mehta presented the national flag to the Assembly on behalf of the women of India. Sucheta Kripalani later sang Sare Jahan Se Achha and the first verse of Jana Gana Mana. In the early hours of August 15, Rajendra Prasad and Nehru went to Viceroy's House to formally inform Mountbatten that the Constituent Assembly had approved his appointment as independent India's first Governor-General. There is a delightful little story from that night. Nehru handed Mountbatten an envelope that was supposed to contain the list of portfolios of his new Cabinet. Mountbatten opened it and found only a blank sheet of paper. The correct list was soon recovered. Yet, amid all the uncertainty, a new country had been born. Millions of people were now beginning the difficult task of building a democratic India and deciding what kind of nation it would become. What followed was an experiment in democracy that often looked untidy and chaotic, but proved remarkably resilient. The economist John Kenneth Galbraith memorably called India a functioning anarchy. The phrase sounds dismissive, but its more interesting word may be functioning. India argues, protests, quarrels and frequently appears chaotic, yet the democratic machinery somehow keeps moving. (The Author works as Advisor with Apeejay Education, New Delhi)
Two Arrested in Major Online Share Trading Fraud in Gujarat
Surat, August 12: The Cyber Crime Cell of Gujarat has arrested two individuals from Junagadh in connection with a significant online share trading fraud. The case involves a scam where a victim was defrauded of 42.98 lakh. During the investigation, authorities discovered links to three other cyber fraud cases across various states, with total losses ... Read more Two Arrested in Major Online Share Trading Fraud in Gujarat
Asiatic lion rescued after getting trapped in spiked gate in Gujarats Junagadh
In the early hours of the day, a lion, aged around one to two years, got trapped in an iron gate while attempting to jump over it in the Grofed area of the city, Deputy Conservator of Forests Akshay Joshi said
Tragic Road Accident in Gujarat Claims Four Lives from One Family
Ahmedabad, July 11: A tragic road accident in Gujarats Junagadh district on Saturday resulted in the deaths of four family members, while four others sustained injuries. The incident occurred near Majewadi village on the four-lane road when the familys Ertiga car collided with a truck parked by the roadside. Two of the injured individuals are ... Read more Tragic Road Accident in Gujarat Claims Four Lives from One Family
Video: Couple Suffers Horrific Bike Crash After Hitting Massive Pothole In Gujarat
A viral video from Gujarat's Junagadh shows a couple suffering a serious motorcycle accident after hitting a massive pothole on a rain-soaked road, triggering outrage over road safety and alleged inaction by a passing police vehicle.
Rs 10 crore hydroponic ganja seized at Ahmedabad airport from man returning from Bangkok
Customs officials at Ahmedabad airport apprehended a 20-year-old man arriving from Bangkok, seizing over 10 kilograms of hydroponic marijuana from his checked baggage. The illicit substance, valued at an estimated Rs 10 crore, was detected by a sniffer dog. The passenger, identified as Ibrahim Sefulla from Junagadh, was arrested, and an investigation is currently ongoing under the NDPS Act.
Lion cub found dead in Junagadh; probe points to possible human involvement
Forest department launches investigation after Asiatic lion cub found with severe injuries; suspect absconding
Gujarat Weather Report: The India Meteorological Department forecasts light to moderate rain and thundershowers across Gujarat for the next seven days. Initially, North, Central, and South Gujarat will see activity, shifting primarily to South Gujarat later in the week. Most other districts are expected to remain dry.
Remembering PC Vaidya: The Scientist Who Simplified Mathematics with the Vaidya Metric
Mumbai, May 23: Prahlad Chunnilal Vaidya was born on May 23, 1918, in a small village called Shahpur in Gujarats Junagadh district. Tragically, he lost his parents at a young age. His father passed away when he was just in the ninth grade, in 1931. Despite facing numerous challenges and financial hardships, Vaidya completed his ... Read more Remembering PC Vaidya: The Scientist Who Simplified Mathematics with the Vaidya Metric
Watch: Gujarati Folk Singer Continues Singing As Devotees Rain Lakhs on Him
Gujarat folk singer Gopal Sadh has gone viral after a video showed him covered in cash during a Dayro event in Junagadh.
2 Women Killed, 15 injured As Bus Carrying Pilgrims Overturns In Gujarat
Two women were killed and at least 15 passengers were injured as a bus carrying pilgrims overturned when a Nilgai suddenly crossed the road in Junagadh district on Saturday, police said.
Dalits asked to bring their own plates, water for temple event in Gujarat
Junagadh: A group of Dalit individuals was allegedly abused and shown blatant caste discrimination after being told to bring their own plates, bowls, and drinking water from home during Pran Pratishtha Mahotsav at a Lord Ram temple in Bhutdi village of Gujarats Junagadh district, The Indian Express reported. The organising committee reportedly invited around 10 Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
