The princely state of Junagadh was situated in the Kathiawar region of Gujarat. It was founded in AD 1735 by a Mughal soldier named Sher Khan Babi. The total area of this princely state was 3,337 square miles and the population was 6,70,719. 80 to 90 percent of the people of the princely state were Hindus but it was ruled by Muslim Nawabs.
The last Nawab of this princely state, Sir Muhammad Mahabat Khan Rasul Khanji (III) became the ruler of the princely state at the age of 11.
He studied at Mayo College Ajmer. He was fond of keeping different types of dogs and hunting lions. He had hundreds of dogs. Once he got a dog married to a bitch on which he spent a lot of money and declared a holiday in the whole state.
In 1947, Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto, a senior leader of the Muslim League, was called from Karachi and made the Diwan of Junagadh State. Shah Nawaz Bhutto threatened the Nawab of Junagadh that if Junagadh was merged with India, the government would kill his dogs and nationalize the lions. Whereas in Pakistan he will be able to keep his dogs safe and hunt lions uninterruptedly. This thing settled in the mind of the Nawab.
The princely state of Junagadh was surrounded by Hindu princely states, but the south and southwest borders of the princely state met with the Arabian Sea. Due to this the Nawab of Junagadh thought that he could easily join Pakistan. The reality was that the sea was situated 240 miles between the princely state of Junagadh and the border of Pakistan.
Still, the cynical Nawab agreed to meet in Pakistan instead of meeting in India. He also forgot that 80 percent of the people of the state are Hindus and surrounded by Hindu princely states which have been found in India.
When the Government of India sent the Instrument of Accession to the Nawab after the Viceroy's Delhi meeting on 25 July 1947, the Nawab did not sign it and on 15 August 1947 a manifesto was published in the newspapers - 'Government of Junagadh for the last few weeks. The question before the U.S. is whether it should decide to join India or Pakistan.
The government has to carefully look into all aspects of this issue. It wanted to take a path that would ultimately lead to permanent progress and well being of the people of Junagadh and maintain the unity of the state and at the same time maintain its independence and its right to as many things as possible.
After deep deliberation and investigation on all aspects, the government has decided to join Pakistan and is now revealing it. The state believes that the loyal Riya, who has the welfare and progress of the state at its heart, will welcome this decision. This announcement by the Junagadh Nawab was a direct challenge to Sardar Patel.