looking forward to establishing finally their own independent State, and assert their autonomy, post- independence. A unification of princely states meant the end of British rule, as well as the dissolving of the princely states, and provinces. In , the unification process began amidst high politics, diplomatic BALUCHISTAN AFGHANISTAN NORTHWEST FRONTIER PROVINCES STATES PATIALA GILGIT JAMMU AND KASHMIR CHAMBA BAHAWALPUR RAJPUTANA KHAIRPUR AJMER- MERWARA Gwadar (Oman) IRAN PUNJAB PUNJAB RAMPUR DELHI GWALIOR BIHAR TONK SIND PALAMPUR RADHANPUR WESTERN INDIA & GUJARAT CENTRAL CENTRAL PROVINCES DECCAN STATES HYDERABAD CHINA MERGING THE PRINCELY STATES SIKKIM (Protectorate) BHUTAN (Protectorate) ASSAM MANIPUR KHASI STATES BENGAL TRIPURA BURMA (BRITISH CROWN COLONY) CEYLON (BRITISH CROWN COLONY) BANGANAPALLE PUDUKOTTAI TRAVANCORE COCHIN MYSORE COORG MADRAS LACCADIVE ISLANDS (Muslim Majority) Mahe (Fr.) Yanam (Fr.) Chandernagore (Fr.) Pondicherry (Fr.) Karaikal (Fr.) ANDAMAN &NICOBAR ISLANDS INDIA BHOPAL EASTERN STATES ORISSA JUNAGADH ARABIAN SEA BAY OF BENGAL OCEAN INDIAN Daman (Port) Diu (Port) Goa (Port) Nagar Haveli (Port) UNITED PROVINCES Bri sh India Hindu Hindu LEGEND Muslim Muslim Sikh Sikh Tribal RELIGION OF RULER OF PRINCELY STATES & PROTECTORATES MAJORITY RELIGION OF THE PEOPLE E W N S Not to Scale BASTAR Merging the Princely States negotiations and violence. The British Prime Minister, Clement Attlee, when addressing the House of Commons on 15th March acknowledged the fight for freedom and the lives lost towards the struggle for an independent nation.
He also put forth the challenges that India would face given its complex cultural heritage. He said, “I am well aware, when I speak of India, that I speak of a country containing a congeries of races, religions and languages, and I know well all the difficulties thereby created. But those difficulties can only be overcome by Indians. We are very mindful of the rights of minorities and minorities should be able to live free from fear.”