Accession of Princely States — Sardar Patel's Role

Knowledge Themes

Structural Subtopics

• Lapse of British Paramountcy and the Indian Independence Act 1947
• Role of the States Department and V.P. Menon
• Provisions of the Instrument of Accession
• Standstill Agreements and administrative continuity
• Policy of Persuasion and the appeal to patriotism
• Use of Privy Purses as a transitional compromise
• Integration of Junagadh and the role of plebiscite
• Operation Polo and the police action in Hyderabad
• Accession of Jammu and Kashmir and the tribal invasion
• Integration of Jodhpur and the Pakistani lure
• Merger of the Kathiawar States into Saurashtra
• Formation of the Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU)
• Role of Lord Mountbatten as a facilitator
• Internal constitutional changes and democratization of princely states
• Four-step process of merger and consolidation into unions