Mohandas Gandhi visited Kashmir amidst political turmoil. The princely state was rocked by anti-monarchist agitation led by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah of the National Conference (NC).

The NC had established political links with the Indian National Congress. On his visit to the state, Gandhi was pressed to appeal to Maharaja Hari Singh to release imprisoned NC activists including Abdullah although he stressed that “he had not come on a political mission.”

The Harijan documented Gandhi’s visit as follows:

“He reached in the evening on 1st instant and left it on the morning of the 4th. During his stay there, all that he saw of Kashmir besides the road was the inside of Lala Kishorilal’s house, where he was putting up. He could not even spare a couple of hours to go and see the beautiful gardens of Shrinagar. Every minute was booked up. All kinds of people came to see him. They were all unanimous in asking for the release of Sheikh Abdulla Saheb and other leaders and for the removal of the Prime Minister. Gandhiji told them that he had not come оп a political mission. He had no intention to ask for the release of Sheikh Abdulla Saheb. A satyagrahi’s mere stay in jail was а most potent force to achieve the objective.

At Jammu, which he reached on the 4th August, deputations of workers and students waited on him. “India will be free on the 15th of August they said. “What of Kashmir?” “That will depend on the people of Kashmir,” replied Gandhiji, What could the people do when Sheikh Saheb was behind the bars? they asked. A similar question had been asked in Shrinagar also, Gandhiji discouraged the tendency to rely on one man and feel helpless in his absence. They must learn to stand on their own legs. The leader’s function was merely to help them in that. Spoon-feeding could not go on for ever.

They all wanted to know whether Kashmir would join the Union or Pakistan. Gandhiji had not gone to Kashmir to discuss this question. It should be decided by the will of the Kashmiris.

He had promised himself that he would make no speeches in Kashmir so as to make his visit devoid of all political colour as far as was humanly possible. On the first day public prayer also was not held. But the authorities wrote saying that they had no objection to the prayers being held in the compound of the house where he was staying. So the prayer was held and was attended by thousands on the 2nd instant. Men and women flocked from the neighbouring villages to have a glimpse of the Mahatma. Friends and foes alike wonder at the hold he has on the masses. His mere presence seems to soothe them in some strange fashion. Those near him for long forget this fact.”

Source: Pyarelal (ed.), ‘Weekly Notes’, Harijan, vol. xi, no. 29, 17 August 1947, pp. 277