After the
Partition of India in 1947, the decision of
Nawab Muhammad Mahabat Khanji III, who was the last ruling Nawab of Junagadh, to accede Junagadh to the
Dominion of Pakistan was followed by the
Indian Army taking military action. The Nawab, a Muslim, was in favor of declaring the state as part of newly created Muslim majority
Pakistan. For this purpose he signed the documents for incorporation of the princely state in Pakistan, in response rulers of two states that were subject to the suzerainty of Junagadh—
Mangrol and
Babariawad—reacted by declaring their independence from Junagadh and acceding to India. In response, the Nawab of Junagadh militarily occupied these vassal states.
Sardar Patel saw this as an aggression upon State of India and called for military response. However,
Jawaharlal Nehru waited to first establish the validity of accession of principality of
Babariawad to India. Once this was established with
Lord Mountbatten, on 22 September 1947, they sent a telegram to
Dewan of
Junagadh clarifying the legality of accession and to withdraw their troops from
Babariawad. Further, Indian Army was ordered to go to Babariawad and get the territories in India's possession. The Nawab of
Junagadh refused to vacate his troops from
Babariawad and
Mangrol. In October 1947 Nawab of Junagarh fled with his family to
Pakistan. The Indian Army finally entered and captured Babariawad in November 1947 and stood on alert along borders of Junagadh and Mangrol for further orders. leading to the
integration of Junagadh into. After his exile, he settled down in
Pakistan and the Junagarh family resides at the
Junagarh House in
Karachi,
Pakistan. ==See also==