Ram Chandra Kak

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Ram Chandra Kak (June 5, 1893- February 10, 1983) was Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir during 1946-7. He was also a pioneering archaeologist who excavated the leading sites of antiquities in Kashmir and wrote the definitive text on them.

He served at various keys positions in Maharaja Hari Singh's administration. Beginning as the superintendent of archaeology, he was appointed to the post of chief secretary in 1937. He was made minister of military affairs in 1941 and became prime minister in Hari Singh's government during the key transitional period of 1946-7 when the British prepared for departure from India.

In 1946, the National Conference began the 'Quit Kashmir' movement against the Maharaja to take advantage of the developing power vacuum. Shaikh Abdullah was arrested on 15 May, and Jawaharlal Nehru came to Kashmir as his defence counsel, but he was arrested and ordered to leave the State. Kak now met Congress leaders in India in July and Nehru was permitted to revisit Srinagar, and he met Abdullah in jail.

This was a difficult time owing to Nehru's blind support for Abdullah, without a proper understanding of how a majority of Muslims in the State (who resided in the province of Jammu) did not consider Abdullah their leader. Abdullah was jockeying for power and he used Nehru to strengthen his case, but Nehru's position made Kak's and the Maharaja's options limited. Nehru's support for Abdullah was driven by his desire to strengthen his hand in his contest with Vallabh Bhai Patel for the leadership of the Congress Party.

With pressure building up from forces sympathetic to Pakistan on Kashmir and with Nehru allied too closely to Shaikh Abdullah who represented only the interests of the Valley and not those of Muslims or Hindus of Jammu or the Ladakhis, Kak thought it most prudent to buy time and improve Kashmir's bargaining position. He recommended that Kashmir remain independent of both India and Pakistan for a transitional period of at least one year, and then take a decision on accession to India or Pakistan. But Mountbatten - after asking for and receiving a note from Nehru - visited the Maharaja on 19 June and urged him to take a decision on accession to India or Pakistan before 15 August, the date set for the end of British rule. The Maharaja made clear his resolve not to accede to Pakistan "on any account". Mountbatten assured him that, in that case, a division of the Indian army will be quickly stationed in Kashmir to prevent any incursion from Pakistan.

On 19 July, the convention of the Muslim Conference urged accession to Pakistan. On 1 August, Mahatma Gandhi visited the Maharaja and suggested removal of Kak as prime minister. Gandhi was assured by a lieutenant of Abdullah that if Kak was ousted, a plebiscite will return a vote in favour of India. Kak was dismissed as Prime Minister on 11 August. The British Indian government returned Gilgit, leased to it in 1934, to the Maharaja.

When Shaikh Abdullah became prime minister of Kashmir, he imprisoned Kak for a long time and then he was external. After this, Kak retired from public life.