Before the partition in 1947, our Indian subcontinent demographically teemed with many a diaspora of different language, ethnic and regional populations. Politically we had a group of provinces and presidencies that were directly ruled by the British and a group of princely states ruled by disparate Maharajahs owing allegiance to the British.

Political Integration

   As they were leaving, the British gave an option to the Maharajahs to choose between staying independent or joining either India or Pakistan. Not surprisingly most of the Maharajahs chose to stay independent, until our Home Minister, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, went and armtwisted each one and in some cases used outright force.

    Except for Baluchistan in the far left that actually wanted to join India, but couldn’t due to its Muslim population, we got almost every other princely state to join India much to the anger of Jinnah. Later Jammu & Kashmir....