The princely state of Junagadh, located in the Kathiawar region of Gujarat, was established in AD 1735 by a Mughal soldier named Sher Khan Babi. It had an area of 3,337 square miles and a population of 6,70,719. 80 to 90 percent of the population of the princely state was Hindu but the ruler was Muslim. The last Nawab of the princely state, Sir Muhammad Mahabat Khan Rasul Khanji (III) became the ruler at the age of 11.
He studied at Mayo College Ajmer. He was fond of keeping different types of dogs and hunting lions. He had hundreds of dogs. Once he got a dog married to a bitch on which he spent a lot of money and declared three days holiday in the whole state. In 1947, Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto, a senior leader of the Muslim League, was called from Karachi and made the Diwan of Junagadh State.
Shah Nawaz Bhutto threatened the Nawab of Junagadh that if Junagadh was merged with India, the government would kill his dogs and nationalize the lions. Whereas in Pakistan he will be able to keep his dogs safe and hunt lions uninterrupted. This thing settled in the mind of the Nawab. The princely state of Junagadh was surrounded by Hindu princely states, but the south and south-west borders of the princely state met with the Arabian Sea. Junagadh Nawab thought that he could easily join Pakistan.
The reality was that the sea was situated 240 miles between the princely state of Junagadh and the border of Pakistan. Still, the cynical Nawab agreed to meet in Pakistan instead of meeting in India. He also forgot that 80 percent of the people of the state are Hindus and his princely state is surrounded by Hindu princely states which have been found in India.
When the Government of India sent the Instrument of Accession to the Nawab after the Viceroy's Delhi meeting on 25 July 1947, the Nawab did not sign it and got a manifesto published in the newspapers on 15 August 1947-
'The question before the Junagadh government for the past few weeks has been whether it should decide to join India or Pakistan. The government has to carefully look into all aspects of this issue. It seeks to adopt such a path that ultimately leads to the permanent progress and well being of the people of Junagadh and maintains the unity of the state and at the same time maintains its independence and its right to the maximum number of things. After deep deliberation and investigation on all aspects, the government has decided to join Pakistan and is now revealing the same. The state believes that the loyal Riya, who has at heart the welfare and progress of the state, will welcome this decision.'
This announcement of Junagadh Nawab was a direct challenge not only to Sardar Patel working for the integration of India, but also to the princely people.
The announcement of the Junagadh Nawab to join Pakistan caused uneasiness among the people of Junagadh and the people opposed the Nawab's action and established an independent provisional government. The Government of India sent a telegram to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Liaquat Ali, asking him to reject the accession of Junagadh.
Lord Mountbatten sent this telegram to Karachi in the hands of the Chief of the Governor General's Staff Lord Ismay. Liaquat Ali refused to accept this demand of the Government of India saying that the telegram sent with Lord Ismay was refused to be signed by the concerned minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
On 13 September 1947, the Government of Pakistan announced that Junagadh Nawab's decision had been accepted and would now be considered a part of Pakistan. A small contingent from Pakistan was sent to Junagadh by sea. This action of Pakistan was in violation of the agreement reached between the Congress and the Muslim League, in which both sides had agreed that the princely states surrounded by India's borders would have to be found in India.
After Pakistan accepted the announcement of Junagadh annexation, the soldiers of Nawab Muhammad Mahabat Khanji started persecuting the Hindu people of Junagadh State so that the majority of Hindus fled Junagadh. There was a gathering of small Hindu princely states around Junagadh.
The Nawab took over these princely states by sending his armies. Those princely states sought help from the Indian government. Mountbatten suggested that the matter should be taken to the United Nations or else a war would break out between India and Pakistan. Sardar Patel did not like this suggestion. They also wanted to challenge Hyderabad and Kashmir by teaching Junagadh a tough lesson.
On 24 September 1947, the Government of India asked the Kathiawar Defense Force to take action against Junagadh. This army surrounded Junagadh from all sides. A few days later, when the Junagadh army lacked logistics, the Indian army moved forward. The people of Junagadh welcomed this army.
On 24 October 1947, the Nawab fled to Pakistan in his special aeroplane. He wanted to take his four wives and hundreds of dogs in an airplane, but one wife and many dogs were left in Junagadh. The Nawab also took all his jewels with him. The Nawab and his family settled in Karachi. On 9 November 1947, the Indian Army captured Junagadh.
On 20 February 1948, a referendum was organized by the Government of India in Junagadh, in which more than 2 lakh population of the princely state participated and 99 percent of the population expressed their desire to join India. Nawab Muhammad Mahabat Khanji died in Pakistan on 17 November 1959. Shah Nawaz Bhutto, Diwan of Junagadh also went to Pakistan where he was given a huge land in Karachi.