Inauguration of Greater Rajasthan was all royal affairs
Rajendra Bora
When Greater Rajasthan was inaugurated by Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, the architect of integration of India, on March 30 in 1949 the ceremony to mark the occasion held at Darbar Hall in the City Palace of Jaipur was mostly all royal affairs as most of the senior Congressmen left the venue in a huff over the sitting arrangements.
On this day, 62 years ago, four major princely states – Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer- merged with Samyukt Rajasthan which was earlier inaugurated by Jawahar Lal Nehru in Udaipur on April 18, the previous year.
At the ceremony Patel sworn in Maharaja Sawai Mansingh of Jaipur as Rajpramukh. Rajpramukh later administered the oath of office of the Premier of the newly emerged state to Hiralal Shastri, who was till then Chief Minister of Jaipur.
At the time of formation of Greater Rajasthan the Congress had four stalwarts – Jai Narayan Vyas from Marwar, Manikya Lal Verma from Mewar, Hiralal Shastri from Jaipur and Gokul Bhai Bhatt from Sirohi- leading the organisation.
“Local Congress house was divided,” recalled V. P. Menon, a civil servant who played a vital role in the process of integration of princely states into India, in his book ‘The story of the integration of the Indian States’.
Shastri, who was made the Premier of Grater Rajasthan was the choice of Patel but was not acceptable to leaders from Marwar and Mewar. Verma from Mewar was more vocal in his displeasure over the choice. According to his diary entries he “warned” Patel not to make Shastri head of the newly formed State because “Congress workers in Rajasthan would not accept him.”
In another entry in Verma’s diary states “I did not know (at that time) that Jaipur was being made the capital and Premiership was too going to Jaipur in the bargain of transferring Abu to Gujarat.”
It was probably culmination of the anger among majority Congressmen that exhibited at the inaugural ceremony with Verma leaving the venue after finding that all front rows were reserved for royals. He wrote in his diary that even “ministers of Samyukt Rajasthan and other states joining the Greater Rajasthan” were not provided respectful place in the ceremony.
Another civil servant V. Shankar in his book my ‘Reminiscences of Sardar Patel’ wrote: Maharaka of Jaipur insisted that we should all don Rajasthani dress… His Highness sent turbans for all of us- myself, V. P. Menon. M. K. Vellodi, and N.M, Buch.
The rift in the Congress rank and file was so deep that they refused to join the ministry formed by Shastri. Despite support from Patel and Gokul Bhai Bhatt, the then PCC chief, obeying the Patel’s decision, Shastri ministry could not last long as the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) in its emergency meeting on June 11, 1949 passed a vote of no- confidence against it. Hurt over the vote when Bhatt resigned, the PCC elected Vyas as its President. However, AICC turned down the PCC decision. But local sentiments finally reigned supreme and Shastri, a loner, ultimately resigned and a civil servant C S Venkatachari was made the Premier of the State on January 6, in 1951.
However unanimous choice of Rajasthan congressmen prevailed later and Jai Narayan Vyas was sworn is Chief Minister on April 26, 1951.
(The piece appeared on the front page of Hindustan Times on March 30, 2011)
When Greater Rajasthan was inaugurated by Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, the architect of integration of India, on March 30 in 1949 the ceremony to mark the occasion held at Darbar Hall in the City Palace of Jaipur was mostly all royal affairs as most of the senior Congressmen left the venue in a huff over the sitting arrangements.
On this day, 62 years ago, four major princely states – Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer- merged with Samyukt Rajasthan which was earlier inaugurated by Jawahar Lal Nehru in Udaipur on April 18, the previous year.
At the ceremony Patel sworn in Maharaja Sawai Mansingh of Jaipur as Rajpramukh. Rajpramukh later administered the oath of office of the Premier of the newly emerged state to Hiralal Shastri, who was till then Chief Minister of Jaipur.
At the time of formation of Greater Rajasthan the Congress had four stalwarts – Jai Narayan Vyas from Marwar, Manikya Lal Verma from Mewar, Hiralal Shastri from Jaipur and Gokul Bhai Bhatt from Sirohi- leading the organisation.
“Local Congress house was divided,” recalled V. P. Menon, a civil servant who played a vital role in the process of integration of princely states into India, in his book ‘The story of the integration of the Indian States’.
Shastri, who was made the Premier of Grater Rajasthan was the choice of Patel but was not acceptable to leaders from Marwar and Mewar. Verma from Mewar was more vocal in his displeasure over the choice. According to his diary entries he “warned” Patel not to make Shastri head of the newly formed State because “Congress workers in Rajasthan would not accept him.”
In another entry in Verma’s diary states “I did not know (at that time) that Jaipur was being made the capital and Premiership was too going to Jaipur in the bargain of transferring Abu to Gujarat.”
It was probably culmination of the anger among majority Congressmen that exhibited at the inaugural ceremony with Verma leaving the venue after finding that all front rows were reserved for royals. He wrote in his diary that even “ministers of Samyukt Rajasthan and other states joining the Greater Rajasthan” were not provided respectful place in the ceremony.
Another civil servant V. Shankar in his book my ‘Reminiscences of Sardar Patel’ wrote: Maharaka of Jaipur insisted that we should all don Rajasthani dress… His Highness sent turbans for all of us- myself, V. P. Menon. M. K. Vellodi, and N.M, Buch.
The rift in the Congress rank and file was so deep that they refused to join the ministry formed by Shastri. Despite support from Patel and Gokul Bhai Bhatt, the then PCC chief, obeying the Patel’s decision, Shastri ministry could not last long as the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) in its emergency meeting on June 11, 1949 passed a vote of no- confidence against it. Hurt over the vote when Bhatt resigned, the PCC elected Vyas as its President. However, AICC turned down the PCC decision. But local sentiments finally reigned supreme and Shastri, a loner, ultimately resigned and a civil servant C S Venkatachari was made the Premier of the State on January 6, in 1951.
However unanimous choice of Rajasthan congressmen prevailed later and Jai Narayan Vyas was sworn is Chief Minister on April 26, 1951.
(The piece appeared on the front page of Hindustan Times on March 30, 2011)
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