Thursday, February 16, 2006

A twist to the Gilgit Rebellion

The above link to a blog gives a probable motive as to why a serving British Officer took things into his own hands and organised a mutiny in Gilgit against the governor - Brig Ghansara Singh


There is a story that Major Browne Commandant of the Gilgit Scouts was so
incensed by the Brig Ghansara Singh’s act of trampling the Union Jack after
it was pulled down
that he actually planned the revolt against the Dogra
governor. It is said the plan was kept so secret that the Thum of Hunza &
Mir of Nagar had no inkling of it although their relatives & followers were
also involved in the subsequent actions. One of them Babar, was the brother in
law of the late Mir of Hunza Jamal Khan & another was his uncle Shah Khan
later a Wing Commander in the PAF. Then there was Colonel Hassan & others
Muslim officers of the Kashmir State Forces. Ghansara Singh was arrested but not
before he had put up a brave resistance.


I believe that Major Brownes papers are in the collection of some archive in UK, or at the very least some papers put together by Brig Ghansara singh on the episode..

This page quotes from Ghansara Singh's book:

Brig. Ghansara Singh the last Dogra governor who was captured by the famous
Gilgit Scouts in November, 1947. He writes: "As I had ordered Lt. Col. Abdul
Majid Khan on 31st October 1947 to reach Gilgit immediately, so I was expecting
him at any time as he was one of our loyal servants. Had he reached Gilgit as
ordered, the picture might have been different, but to our misfortune, Captain
Hassan Khan of 6th J&K Infantry instead reached Gilgit same morning.
"


Now , if we can find a copy of that book!

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