Following allocation of seats in Parliament to the States, the Jammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly approved nomination of six members to the Lok Sabha and four members to the Rajya Sabha in March 1952.
On March 25, 1952, when the Constituent Assembly in the Grey Hall at Mubarak Mandi, Jammu, Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah moved a resolution for nomination of ten members to the Parliament.
Below is the list of members and the transcript of full speech of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah on the occasion:
Sir, I beg to move the following resolution:-
“This Assembly proposes the names of the following persons for being chosen as representatives of the State of Jammu and Kashmir in the two Houses of the Parliament of India and authorizes the Government of Jammu and Kashmir to make a recommendation to the President of the Indian Republic in accordance therewith.
Council of States:
- Sardar Budh Singh
- Col. Pir Mohammad Khan
- Rai Bahadur Pandit Anant Ram
- Aga Syed Mohammad Shah Jalali
House of the People:
- Maulana Mohammad Saeed Masoodi
- Major Lachhman Singh Charak
- Sofi Mohd Akbar
- Pandit Shiv Narain Fotedar
- Choudhary Mohammad Shafi
- Khawaja Ghulam Qadir
Sir, in normal conditions a different method would have been adopted from the present one in order to choose members for the Indian Parliament. I mean to say that for the four seats of the Councils of State the popular vote would have been for in a suitable way and the members for the House of the People would have been elected directly. The whole state would be divided into six constituencies for this purpose and every constituency would comprise six lakh or at the most seven lakh people and every adult would be entitled to vote. Like other States the voting would have taken place in the beginning of 1952 and then the successful candidates would have been sent to the House of the people. The present condition of the State is like this that a considerable area and a section of the population is still under the enemy occupation. Many people still live as refugees and are scattered over in the far-flung corners of India and Pakistan. For these reasons the delimitation of the constituencies was a difficult problem and in view of this difficulty provision was made in the Peoples Representation Act that election for the Indian Parliament in the Jammu and Kashmir State will be conducted in a different manner from the one to be observed in other States of India. And this is the manner according to which we are electing these ten representatives to be sent to the Indian Parliament.
Sir, you know that we have acceded to the Indian Union which comprises about two dozen states of different categories. According to the Indian Constitution these States have been divided into A, B and C clauses. So far as the Jammu and Kashmir State is concerned, though it has been put in the B class there is no other State which enjoys similar constitutional status. Under Section 370 of the Indian Constitution our State has been granted a special position in short, this State like other States has acceded to India in respect of External Affairs, Defence and Communications but it enjoys other States has acceded to India in respect of External Affairs, Defence and Communications, but it enjoys full autonomy with regard to all other matters according to Indian Constitution and can shape its own destiny through its own Constituent Assembly. Such a status for Kashmir is a matter of pride for us and in this respect this State will be a State which will be rightly not only proud of itself but will also serve as a model for the whole of India. Today if we are electing members for the Indian Parliament from this State it is in consequence of that very status. Such steps are going to make the position of the State invulnerable and forge stronger links between India and Kashmir. The enemies of India and Kashmir will find in our country a strong wall and dismayed to break it. They will finally have to give up their sordid attempts. As far as these ten honourable members are concerned whose names I have read out in my resolution their qualities are manifold, but I want to draw your attention to a few of their virtues.
Out of these members three happen to be members of the National Conference Working Committee, and three Hon’ble Members have occupied the highest position in the State and even adorned the ministerial chairs.
Three of them viz. Hon’ble Mohammad Sayeed, Sardar Budh Singh and Choudhary Mohammad Shafi hail from the enemy occupied territory, across the cease fire line and four of Hon’ble Members are from outside the National Conference. As far as the Council of State is concerned, it is necessary to elect such members who enjoy high social status and have taken active part in the administration of the State.
Sardar Budh Singh
The foremost among them is Sardar Budh Singh who is so intimately connected with the affairs of the State that he is well known all over the State. The people of Jammu and Kashmir hold him in great regard and reverence. It is clear to everybody that Sardar Budh Singh has had much experience in the administration of our State. He has served the State in many capacities; his official position ranging from that of the smallest official to that of the highest i.e. the Minister. He has done much work in the administrative sphere. As regards the service of the people he has taken a very prominent part in the country’s fight for freedom. It was its service, peregrine prison cells to it. He was the first to raise the slogan of freedom (cheers).
When in 1931 our freedom movement gained strength, Sardar Budh Singh in spite of his old age, continued to fight for freedom like a fearless soldier and there is not a single prison in the State where he was not confined. In view of his respectability, experience and political standing Sardar Budh Singh is the fittest person to represent us in the Council of States (cheers).
Col. Pir Mohammad Khan
The second name that I have proposed is that of Col. Pir Mohammad Khan. He comes of a very respectable family of the State. The sacrifices made and the good work done by his family in the State is known to all. He has also been connected with the social uplift of the people of the State and has taken a keen interest in this work. His family has served the State in many ways. By virtue of his meritorious services and sincerity he rose to the position of a Colonel from the post of a mere soldier. And when he retired his service to the State did not in fact come to an end but he continued to serve the State in different capacities.
The specific object of his interest has been educational reform and he has taken considerable interest in children’s education. He has been President of the Anjuman-i-Islamia of Jammu. Even the people of Kashmir are well aware of the services rendered by him. When in 1947 the people of Kashmir were put to a severe test with very tragic consequences, Colonel Sahib plunged into the field with which he tried to stop communal carnage in Jammu and bring the situation under control is known to the whole of Jammu.
At that time when terror reigned supreme on every side he stayed there undaunted and extinguished the communal fire. Now you can yourself guess as to what is the proper estimation of his service. When I took the reigns of Government in my hands he played a great part in our administration by running the Education Department and the ability with which he shouldered this responsibility is known to all. It is because of these considerations that I have proposed his name. His experience, loyalty and social position with which you are well acquainted, warrant such a decision on our part. He being a member of the Council of States is a thing we should feel proud of.
Rai Bahadur Pandit Anant Ram
The third name that I have proposed is that of R.B. Pt. Anant Ram. He is a familiar name throughout the State. The services rendered by him during is official carrier is evident to everybody. During the long tenure of his office he worked in various capacities and through ability and honesty attained a high position in the State. He was the Revenue Minister for a number of years. Very few officers are fortunate enough to maintain their prestige so consistently that the people should look upto them with the same respect, regard and love even after their retirement from service. And he is such a person at the time when the people of the State were fighting the whole Government machinery it was he alone from among the big officials who won the hearts of the people of every section in the State. His gentle manliness and honesty was acknowledged by everybody. Even now the society look upon him with great reverence. I think such a revered person in view of his social position is a suitable candidate to deserve the privilege of representing the Jammu and Kashmir State in the Council of States (Cheers).
Aga Sayeed Mohammad Shah Jalali
The fourth name I have proposed is that of Aga Sayeed Mohammad Shah Jalali. He is a member of our Assembly. You know that he is the worthy son of that venerable person who made great sacrifice for the sake of our freedom movement. Who in the State does not know the name of Aga Sayed Mohammad Hussain Shah Jalali? The reputation that his family enjoys among the Shias particularly and among the Muslims generally is very great. Aga Syed Mohammad Shah Jalali is a section of that family and a worthy son of Aga Syed Hussain Shah Jalali. His social position is very high. This House has got unbreakable link with his family. His political and social position and his devotion The fourth name
I have proposed is that of Aga Sayeed Mohammad Shah Jalali. He is a member of our Assembly. You know that he is the worthy son of that venerable person who made great sacrifice for the sake of our freedom movement. Who in the State does not know the name of Aga Sayed Mohammad Hussain Shah Jalali? The reputation that his family enjoys among the Shias particularly and among the Muslims generally is very great. Aga Syed Mohammad Shah Jalali is a section of that family and a worthy son of Aga Syed Hussain Shah Jalali. His social position is very high. This House has got unbreakable link with his family. His political and social position and his devotion to the cause of the country demand that his name be proposed for representing Jammu and Kashmir in the Council of States (Cheers).
I hope that the proposal put forth by me proposing the names of the four representatives for the Council of States from Jammu and Kashmir will be accepted by the House. As far as the House of the people is concerned, it is clear to everybody that the work there is of a difficult nature. In this behalf we have to depute as far as possible young element to represent us as element that has the honour of the country at heart and burns with a desire for freedom and is prepared to sacrifice it all for the sake of the motherland. Among the names proposed by me in this connection the foremost is that of Maulana Mohammad Sayeed Masoodi (cheers).
Maulana Mohammad Saeed Masoodi
Maulana Mohammad Saeed Masoodi represented Kashmir in the House of the people before also and we are well aware of the excellence and serenity with which he presented the Kashmir point of view in the Indian Parliament. Besides the achievements of Maulana Syeed are as clear as daylight. From the political standpoint he has rendered valuable services to the country. The misfortunate that befell his family during 1947 is a matter of common knowledge. There is non who does not know that he is living as a refugee. The whole of his household lies under enemy occupation. He endured many hardships and in spite of all these sufferings he is busy in the service of the country. He is conversant with all political ups and downs of our country. In my opinion there is no person more suitable to represent this State in the House of the people. It is in view of these considerations that I have proposed the name of Maulana Mohammad Syeed.
Major Lachman Singh Charak
The other name that I have proposed is that of Major Lachman Singh Charak. He is the worthy son of Chauderi Chattar Singh Charak. The status of his family as always been high in the State and even at present this family enjoys a very high position among the Rajput families. They have had very close relations with the Royal family. In spite of this you will be surprised to know that his deceased father, who was a member of the late Praja Sabha, supported our party, the then Muslim Conference a party that fought the Government in the Assembly, when they had to oppose a bill that the Government tried to get passed in the Assembly. And he did so at a time when everybody shook with fear to utter even a word against the Government. Chattar Singh supported as unmindful of his close relations with the Royal family. He overlooked all these considerations. He found truth in our demands and extended its support.
The same blood is running through the veins of Major Lachman Singh Charak. I have always marked that he is a young man with a capacity to work. He followed his father in the Praja Sabha and the ability with which he discharged his duties there is known to us. Whenever any calamity befell our motherland he was always found ready to contribute his mite to face the ordeal. I think young men with such a family history and a desire to serve their country should be encouraged to steer the ship of our motherland so that they lend us their support. It is therefore that I have proposed his name.
Sufi Mohammad Akbar
Third name is that of Sufi Mohammad Akbar. The House is familiar with this name. He is known throughout the length and breadth of the country. He stood always in the vanguard of the freedom movement and attained the highest position in our organization. Even at present he a member of the National Conference Working Committee and President of the National Conference Committee of the Northern District of Baramulla and Sopore. He is a popular figure of his District. During his absence from the District, everybody there feel like an orphan. He has carved out a place for himself in the hearts of the people by his sacrifices and services to the country. The presence of such people in the House as are conversant with all the circumstances and political changes and can put for the correctly the point of view of the Kashmiri people in the Indian Parliament and make it known to the world through it, is essential.
Pandit Shiv Narain Fotedar
The fourth name is that of Pt. Shiv Narain Fotedar. I think he is too widely known to require any introduction. In 1961 when our freedom movement took shape, he played a prominent role in Kashmir Politics. He has had the proud privilege of leading a very big section of Kashmiri Hindus. He worked to safeguard their interest. Then the conditions changed and the political situation took a new turn. In 1938 the National Conference was set up and a conflict between nationalism and communalism ensured. The national movement gained strength day by day. Notwithstanding the fact that Pt. Shiv Narain Fotedar was leader of the communal organization. He made correct appraisal of the political situation. In 1947 he was put the greatest test of his life. The Qabailis raided Kashmir and Muslim communalism conflagration caught Jammu in its flames. It seemed as if the whole of Kashmir would be consumed by it. But it must be admitted that the people of Kashmir put their trust in the National Conference and despite provocations they did not deflect from the right path. If they would get derailed, the situation would have been for from peaceful. Many people know that the then Government tried to get Rashtriya Sewak Sang people to the cantonment and distribute rifles and ammunition among them. It was not their purpose to guard the people and establish peace but to create the same conditions in Kashmir as they had created in Jammu. To achieve this objective they required the help of Pt. Shiv Narain Fotedar and so he was summoned. He was told to take as many rifles and much ammunition as he liked to safeguard his people. If Mr. Fotedar had adopted the same course as was followed by some people in Jammu at the time it would have proved disastrous not only for the minority community in Kashmir but for the majority community as well. The State of J&K would present a different picture than the one you witness today. But Mr. Fotedar acted wisely and his answer to them was “Gentlemen you are misleading the country. Kashmir is our motherland and we have to live here and even our children shall live here in the time to come. No benefit will accrue to the country from your wrong policies. I am not at all prepared for such a job. I do not want to persuade the young men of my country to treat this wrong path”.
He thus flatly refused to do their bidding. And then he came to us and warned us of the dangers ahead. I think this is a great credit which goes to him. It was an occasion when the Government tried to provoke a leader of the minority community, but he maintained his mental balance. There were other occasions when communalist leaders, defeated and counted in India, chose Kashmir as a sphere of their activities. Several of them came to Kashmir and contacted Mr. Fotedar. But he minced no words and told them not to interfere in our internal affairs. He was in no case going to embrace communalism. Perhaps there are very few people who know that Mr. Fotedar played such a role in Kashmir Politics. But it is our duty to watch and study the activities of every friend and then make a proper and correct estimation of his personality. After a new era was ushered in for the State politics. India and Kashmir did not remain safe any more as breeding place for communalism.
Mr. Fotedar declared unequivocally that he agreed with the National Conference completely. He asked the communalists to give up interfering in the State politics once for all. There was no place for communalism in Kashmir, he affirmed. The politics of the National Conference were going ahead, Mr. Fotedar decided that all political matters should be in the hands of one party only, in whose ranks we could defend the honour and independence of our motherland and ensure a happy life for ourselves. With this purpose in mind, he dis-handed the Kashmiri Pandit Yuvak Sabha and declared that he had no connections whatsoever with any communal organization. Besides, he stated that communalism had no place not only in Kashmir but in the whole of India and that we should rally round a single banner. And then the people of this country he said, would be able to defend their motherland and overcome difficulties.
So far as the social position and the political activities of Mr. Shiv Narain Fotedar are concerned, they are well known. Inspite of the fact that he was not connected with us in the past, when the occasion to propose these names in the House came, I weighed all considerations in my mind and came to the conclusion that I should provide opportunities to those friends also who have tried to lead the country on right lines and to whom her cause is dear. It is, therefore, that I have proposed his name for the membership of the House of the people.
Chaudhary Mohammad Shafi
The fifth name in the list of Chaudhary Mohammad Shafi. He is well known all over the State. He has been reduced to the status of a refugee at present. He hails from Bhimber, an illaqa which is under enemy occupation. At the time of raids he was there and the enemy imprisoned him. For a long time he was kept in Lahore Jail. He had to suffer hard and then somehow we succeeded to get him over to this side. His activities in our political movement are too well known to need any formal reiteration. He served his country and his people like a brave soldier. All the misfortunes that befell his family during this period did not shake him. During the last elections in India the splendid work done by him in fighting communalism has made him so popular with the Indian people as nobody among us is. He has taken a very prominent part in carrying forward the principles and ideals on which our organization, the National Conference, is based. His name too is a suitable name in a list of those I have proposed for the House of the people.
Khawaja Ghulam Qadir
Then follows the name of Khawaja Ghulam Qadir. He is an honourable member of our Constituent Assembly. He has been working within the freedom movement of the country since its inception i.e. for 20 years continuously.
Whenever the National Conference had to face any ordeals or repression he stood firm by it. Later when in 1947 raiders from Pakistan attacked our frontier illaqa and Ladakh, he was the person who guided the Indian forces sent to fight them and under a rain of bullets from the enemy advanced to implant the banner of freedom at Kargil. Once Major General Thimaya himself told me that it was because of Khawaja Ghulam Qadir that they had crossed the Zojila Pass. Had not he been with them, he said to cross Zojila would have been very difficult. He also admitted that the success they had achieved there was due to him and that Ladakh and Zanskar too were clear of the small enemy groups with his help. He showed keen intelligence in rehabilitating the areas where destruction and devastation has been wrought by the enemy. The administration of Ladakh was entrusted to him and he discharged his duties in this capacity for several years.
Those friends who ever got a chance to go to Ladakh in connection with their service know well the difficult and impassable terrain of Ladakh situated at an altitude of 11 ½ thousand feet above sea level. At the time when he took over the administration of the area he found the people in the slush of misery and suffering. He faced the difficulties with great courage and ability and discreetly set the whole situation right. A state of chaos and confusion was replaced by a new order that is well know to you. He is conversant with all the vicissitudes of our country’s for the last 20 years. Nobody is unaware of his contribution to the freedom struggle of the country. He is a Youngman and it is our duty to provide him with opportunities as we can not find a better man. He should be given a chance to go to the House of the people where he can speak of our country with vigor and confidence. Sir, these in short are a few considerations on the basis of which I would venture to propose to the House the names of the persons who should represent us in the Council of State, and the House of the People, I hope that in view of the observations made in my speech the House will honour me by adopting my resolution.
I read out the resolution again:- “This Assembly proposes the names of the following persons for being chosen as representatives of the State of Jammu and Kashmir in the two Houses of the Parliament of India and authorizes the Government of Jammu and Kashmir to make a recommendation to the President of the Indian Republic in accordance therewith:
Council of States:
- S.Budh Singh,
2.Col. Pir Moh’d Khan,
- Rai Bahadhur Pt. Anant Ram,
- Aga Syed Mohammad Shah Jalali
House of the People:
- Maulana Moh’d Saeed Massodi,
- Major Lachman Singh Charak,
- Sofi Moh’d Akbar,
- Pt. Shiv Narain Fotedar
- Ch. Moh’d Shafi,
- Kh. Ghulam Qadir.”
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