OPERATION
POLO - MODERN HISTORY
News:
Explained: 75th
anniversary of Operation Polo and ‘Police Action’ in Hyderabad
What's
in the news?
●
September 13 marks the 75th anniversary of
Operation Polo, the military action
launched by the Indian Army on September 13, 1948, to integrate the princely
state of Hyderabad.
Key
takeaways:
●
The Nizam of Hyderabad was dithering on
joining India ever since Independence on August 15, 1947.
●
The military offensive in Hyderabad state
was termed as ‘Police Action’ at the time by the then home minister Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel and the Nizam’s forces surrendered to the Indian Army by
September 18.
Backdrop:
●
The Nizam of Hyderabad state, Mir Osman Ali Shah, had the intention
of keeping his state as an independent entity and did not join India or
Pakistan after Independence.
●
Hyderabad is situated in the Deccan and
was one of the most populous and richest
states and had 17 districts
including Aurangabad (now in Maharashtra) and Gulbarga (now in Karnataka).
●
The landlocked
state had a majority Hindu population with the state administration almost
entirely run by its Muslim rulers.
●
The Indian forces were led by Maj Gen Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri, the General
Officer Commanding of 1 Armoured Division, who later went on to become the
Chief of Army Staff.