One Life is Not Enough

by K. Natwar Singh

Mountbatten of day-to-day events. Mountbatten kept Nehru in the dark. Not only that, he used the British High Commission in Delhi to send messages to British Prime Minister Clement Attlee and King George VI—all behind the back of a government of which he was the Governor General. It was Pandit Nehru’s error to have invited Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, to become the first Governor General of India. Jinnah was more realistic. When Mountbatten suggested that he become the Governor General of Pakistan as well, Jinnah firmly turned him down. Mountbatten nominated a Chairman of the Defence Committee that played a critical role in policymaking, a role from which he should have been excluded. Pandit Nehru did not object personally and these matters, which should have been discussed in the Indian Cabinet, did not come up. Thus, the Defence Committee took over the duties of the Indian Cabinet with the full knowledge of the Prime Minister. Mountbatten was a constitutional figurehead, yet it was he who advised Pandit Nehru to take up the Kashmir issue to the United Nations. He was even against sending Indian troops to Srinagar until the Maharaja of Kashmir had signed the Instrument of Accession to India. Disregarding his advice, Pandit Nehru and Patel decided that Indian troops should be flown to Srinagar immediately. They arrived just in time to save Srinagar from falling into the hands of the Pakistani invaders. After the draft of the communication which India was to send...