Orissa Review * April - 2010

Merger of Princely States in Orissa

With the establishment of newly constituted Congress Government in the province of Orissa in April 1946 Harekrushna Mahatab, the new Congress premier, made serious attempts to solve the problems of feudatory states of Orissa. He met the members of the Cabinet Mission on April 6, 1946 and placed a memorandum before them in which he pleaded strongly for amalgamation of the Garjats with the province.1 As the Cabinet Mission was busy to finalize other important matters it could not look into this specific problem of Orissa. However, in the statement issued by the Cabinet Mission on May 16, 1946, it was contemplated that a satisfactory solution to the problem of the Indian states would be achieved by mutual negotiations. Mahatab wrote letters to all the rulers of the princely states of Orissa on May 10, 1946 and again on June 29, 1946, in order to convince them about the benefits of mutual cooperation. He appealed to the rulers that in the interest of the states, it will be best thing to join with the province and bring about a common 2 administration. In the meantime, there was a lot of discussion in the press about the amalgamation of Princely States with the province, which made 3 the rulers uneasy and nervous. In fact, the rulers did not show any interest to join with the province rather they took a very hostile attitude to the whole issue. In July 1946, the rulers met in a conference held at Alipore and decided to form a federal union of the Chhatisgarh and Orissa states. The Maharaja of Patna, Rajendra Narayan Singh Deo
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supported the view. The British Resident of the Eastern State Agency who was present in the conference encouraged such a move. A committee was also formed for the purpose. Mahatab did not give up the hope of some understanding with the ruling chiefs. On October 16, 1946, he met some of them at Sambalpur in the presence of the Political Agent and tried to convince them about the necessity of one administration for both the states and the province. This meeting proved a failure, because the rulers opposed Mahatab s proposal for joint planning and administration. They expressed their commitment to the proposed Eastern States Union and held Mahatab responsible for agitation in the states. Mahatab s failure to get favorable response from the rulers and the formation of Eastern States Union by the rulers were due to the support they got from the Political Department. While the rulers tried to evade integration by forming the Eastern States Union, there was persistent demand from the prajamandal groups for introduction of responsible Government as well 4 as integration with the province of Orissa. Sarangadhar Das, the main prajamandal leader and member of Orissa Legislative Assembly was playing an active role in rousing public opinion in 5 the states for this purpose. Thirty-nine states of Orissa and Chhatisgarh, which formed the Eastern States Union started functioning from August 1, 1947. It had an elaborate constitution and a secretariate. The constituent states made financial contributions to

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maintain the administrative machinery of the 6 Union. With the dawn of independence, the situation changed rapidly. Celebration of Independence Day in the Princely States received heart throbbing response from the people, and the princes were forced to come in terms with the political developments. They celebrated the day by hoisting the National Flag along with their dynastic flags, released political prisoners and even some of them declared administrative reforms. The Raja of Nayagarh declared the nomination of three-man cabinet including his brother Captain B. C. Singh to head the popular Government from 7 August 15, 1947. In the meanwhile, the state ministry under Sardar Patel was compelled by the force of circumstances to take necessary steps to arrest the process of balkanization of India. In Orissa, the process of integration of native states began with the assumption of the administration of Nilagiri state by the Dominion Government. It was taken over on November 14, 1947. After that, the states ministry took the initiative to resolve the problems of all other Orissa states. On November 16, 1947, invitations were sent to all and class rulers to attend a conference on December 14, 1947 at the Government House, Cuttack regarding merger of their states. Similarly class rulers of Orissa were invited to a separate conference at the same place on the same date in the afternoon. Arrangements of accommodation for their stay at Cuttack were also made. The Regional Commissioner of Orissa States were asked to bring with him the Sanads of Orissa 8 Feudatory States, which might be required for the purpose. In a high level meeting of the ministry on November 20, 1947, in which Mahatab was present, it was decided not to recognize the Eastern States Union as it was formed in utter disregard of linguistic, economic and social considerations . In order to explore the possibilities of associating the states with the
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provincial administration for common interest, it was finally settled to meet the rulers in a conference in Orissa as soon as possible. Accordingly Sardar Patel, V. P. Menon and other officials of the states ministry arrived at Cuttack on December 13, 9 1947. On December 14, 1947 at 10.00 a.m. Sardar Patel inaugurated the Conference with a most persuasive speech. The conference which was attended by twelve and class rulers included Raja Bahadur Kishore Chandra Deo Bhanja of Daspalla, Raja Harihar Singh Mardaraj Bhramarbar Ray of Khandapara and Raja Brajendra Narendra Mahapatra with his mother 10 Basanta Manjari Devi, the Rajmata of Ranpur. At the outset, Patel stated that the reasons for inviting the rulers of Orissa state was the growing discontentment among the people, which had created a pressing problem demanding immediate solution for the safety of the rulers and the people at large. Patel anticipated that some rulers might try to evade merger on the plea of having introduced responsible Government and that some might claim autonomous status. Responsible Government in petty states, he said, had no 11 meaning . He also pointed out that the states could not afford to have institutions like High Court, Hospitals, Educational Institutions and other modern facilities. He guaranteed them in perpetuity privy purse, dynastic succession, privileges and dignities. As a member of a family trying to solve a family problem , Patel advised the rulers to get rid of disturbances in states by 12 divesting themselves of all power and authority. While giving friendly advice, Patel warned the rulers against the consequences, which might follow in the events of non-merger. He told that if his advice was not listened to the princes would soon have to come to Delhi after being chased by their people and that he might then not be in a position to help them as things might have gone 13 too far. Sardar Patel then asked the rulers to

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suggest any alternative, which would be acceptable, and if they had none, the rulers should accept his advice. The Ruler of Ranpur, the minor Raja Brajendra Narayan stated that he had granted responsible Government in his state and if his state was merged in Orissa his people might say that the ruler had betrayed the people and sold them to Orissa Government. He expressed that there could be an alternative to merger which would be a union of states. If there was merger he felt that the people might later stop the Privy Purse 14 as there would be no use left for the Ruler. The Deputy Prime Minister pointed out that Ranpur was so small and the people so turbulent that they had once gone to the extent of murdering a political officer like Bezelgette and that the conclusion to be drawn was that the people would not allow the ruler to continue administration in his state. Further to give responsible Government in Ranpur would be a mockery and the answer, therefore, was to entrust the responsibility to one who could discharge it and the Orissa Government was ready and competent to do so. The young ruler of Ranpur wanted to know if he would be entitled to stand for the Cuttack Legislature. The Deputy Prime Minister replied that certainly as citizen of Orissa he would be 15 blessed with that right. The afternoon session started after lunch at 2.30 PM to which the class rulers were invited. Sardar Patel presided over the meeting. Eleven class rulers attended the meeting including the brother of the ruler of Nayagarh Capt. B. C. Singh. The entire proceedings of the meeting revolved around dynastic succession, privy purse, privileges and dignities. The merger agreement was signed by the princes after the assurance of Sardar Patel for the perpetual guarantee of privy purse, privileges, dynastic succession and dignities and their incorporation 16 in the future constitution of India.
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On December 15, 1947, out of 15 and class rulers 12 signed the merger agreement while three others (Bonai, Athamalik and Tigiria) signed later as they did not attend the conference at Cuttack. class rulers had a hard bargain and they signed the merger document at the last moment when Patel was about to leave Cuttack by special train for boarding the plane at Bhubaneswar. During his stay at Cuttack, Patel 17 had no talks with prajamandal leaders. The merger of 25 states except Mayurbhanj became effective from January 1, 1948. This was achieved through the initiative and persistent efforts of H. K. Mahatab, the Prime Minister of Orissa, under the bold and decisive leadership of Patel at the Centre, supported by Menon s dexterity in negotiation and bargain. References :
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. Mahatab, Beginning of the End, Cuttack, 1972, Appendix - II, PP.- 56-71. Ibid, Appendix - VII, P.- 108. Orissa Review, September, 1997, P.- 2. Mahatab, Sadhanara Pathe (Oriya), Cuttack, 1972, P.- 323. Orissa Review, September, 1997, P.- 2. V.P. Menon, The Story of the Integration of the Indian States, Madras, 1961, PP.- 145 - 146. Nabeen, 19 August, 1947. Prahlad Sahoo, Towards Merger, Orissa State Archieves, Bhubaneswar, 1988, P.- 204. K.M. Patra, Bandita Devi, An Advanced History of Orissa, New Delhi, 1983, P.- 343. Prahlad Sahoo, op. cit., P.- 205. V.P. Menon, op. cit., P.- 62. S. Pati, Democratic Movements in India, Delhi, 1987, P.- 205. Ibid, 206. Prahlad Sahoo, op. cit., P.- 210. Ibid. Accession No.- 1161-S-OSA (Orissa State Archives). Orissa Review, September, 1997, P.- 5.

Dr. Saroj Kumar Panda is the Principal of Gadibrahma College, Delang, Puri.