Jammu and Kashmir: dilemma of accession: a historical analysis and lesson, revised & enlarged edition

Book Details

• ISBN 13: 9789385485169

• ISBN 10: 9385485164

• Edition: New Delhi

• Year: 2018

• Language: English

• Subject(s): History, Politics

• Publisher: ADITYA PRAKASHAN Indological Publishers & Booksellers

About the Book
This book, authored by RadhaRajan, delves into Prime Minister Pandit Ramchandra Kak's firsthand account of the tragic events that shook the Kingdom of Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, and Tibet during the critical years of 1946-47. As Prime Minister of the Kingdom, Kak narrates the complex political landscape, detailing the role of the Indian National Congress in Jammu and Kashmir's affairs from 1938 onward. The book explores why the Kingdom did not accede to India in 1946, when the offer was first made, and again in 1947, when pressure mounted on Kak to accede to both Pakistan and India.

Through her analysis of Kak’s document (RCK Paper), the author cites important works such as V.P. Menon’s Integration of the Indian States and the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi to offer a comprehensive account of the events. The narrative follows the story of Maharaja Hari Singh's forced departure from Kashmir and the subsequent transfer of power to Sheikh Abdullah, a move that fundamentally changed the political dynamics of the region, with the Sunni Muslims of the Kashmir Valley ultimately shaping the politics of the entire state.

While Menon’s account does not delve into the specific events that led to this drastic political shift, RadhaRajan’s book fills in these crucial gaps, offering new insights into this pivotal moment in Indian history. The original document by Pandit Kak, currently housed in the India Office Library and Records, London, has been made accessible to the public for the first time through this publication.