New Delhi: Former Congress Minister and Kashmiri politician, Mr. Saifuddin Soz made a surprising claim. He said that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was ready to give Kashmir valley to Pakistan and in return, he wanted Pakistan to leave its claim over Hyderabad-Deccan. However, Jawaharlal Nehru was not ready for this agreement. Mr. Nehru insisted to keep Kashmir with India, Soz added.
According to the report published in The Print, Soz said that Lord Mountbatten who was the last viceroy of India presented Patel’s offer to Pakistan. He also said that the day when this offer was presented to Pakistan coincided with the day the Indian Army reached Srinagar to face intruders from Pakistan in October 1947.
However, Liaquat Ali rejected the offer. Soz said that Liaquat Ali neither understood history, nor geography.
In the partition council also, Mr. Sardar Patel’s offer to Liaquat Ali was “take Kashmir and leave Hyderabad-Deccan”, Soz claimed.
Commenting about the Mr.Nehru’s stand, Soz said that Mr. Nehru who had a strong connection with the valley did not allow the plan to be executed.
Talking about the stand of Sheikh Abdullah on two-nation theory, Soz said he had rejected the theory. Sheikh Abdullah wrote in his book that independence of Kashmir is not possible as five countries around it will not accept its independence, Soz said.
Speaking on Delhi agreement, Soz said that Sheikh Abdullah wanted to remain in India until it is secular, sympathetic toward Kashmir etc.
Discussing the current situation in the valley, Soz said that only solution is to talk with Hurriyat leaders.