Page 8 - ch 16

Module - V Indo-Pakistan War 1947-1948

Major Wars Post
consider any other option which eventually led India to send the army to
Independence
Hyderabad and crush the rebellion.
16.3.1 Operation Polo

1) As a first step, the Central Government came up with the Standstill Agreement,
in November, 1947, which only sought an assurance, that Hyderabad would
Note not accede to Pakistan, and would remain in India. In accordance with the
Standstill Agreement, K.M. Munshi was appointed as the Indian Government's
envoy and Agent General to Hyderabad. Munshi was mistreated by the Nizam's
Government; he was not even given proper accommodation. The Razakars
were a private army maintained by the Nizam of Hyderabad. This army started
harassing and looting the general public. Against such a background, the Indian
Home Minister Sardar Patel decided to annex Hyderabad.

2) Operation POLO was the code name for the Hyderabad Police Action. Indian
Army sent infantry, tanks and artillery to take part in the operations. The operation
began on 13 September 1948 with battle fought at Naldurg Fort near Solapur.
The operation itself took five days in which the Razakars and the Hyderabadi
military were defeated swiftly.

3) The 'Hyderabad State Army' was Completely routed, with 490 dead and 122
injured, and around 1647 becoming prisoners. The Razakars' fate was even
worse, they lost 1373 of their men, and 1911 were captured, and with it their
pipe dream of hosting an independent Hyderabad too varnished. Nizam knew
he had lost the game. It ended the autocratic-feudal regime and integrated the
Hyderabad State into Indian union. Many voices were raised questioning the
legitimacy of the decision to annex Hyderabad. However, it was necesoary to
launch an operation to make the geographically and culturally integral state of
Hyderabad as part of India.

Intext Questions 16.4

1. What do you know about Police Action in Hyderabad?
2. Why was annexation of Hyderabad necessary?

3. When was Operation POLO launched?

16.3.2 Annexation of Goa

Background
(a) Portuguese were the first to come to India as traders followed by the Dutch, the
British and the French. Portuguese sailor Vasco da Gama arrived at Calicut, an

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MILITARY HISTORY