Junagadh State

**Junagadh** was a princely state in Gujarat ruled by Muslim rulers in British India until it became part of India in 1948.

## History
Mohammad Sher Khan Babi, a Babi Khel Pathan who owed allegiance to the Mughal governor of Gujarat subah, founded the state of Junagadh. It declared independence in 1730 after the Marathas Gaikwad invasion. Muhammad Sher Khan Babi, was the er of the Babi Dynasty of Junagadh State dynasty. His descendants, the Babi Nawabs of Junagadh, took large territories in southern Saurashtra and ruled over the state for the next two centuries. First they were a tributary state of Marathas. Later they were under the rule of the British Raj.

In 1807 the Junagadh State became a British protectorate. The East India Company took control of the state by 1818. The Saurashtra area, with other princely states of Kathiawar, were separately administered under Kathiawar Agency by British India.

On 15 August 1947 upon the independence of India, the Nawab of Junagarh decided to merge it into newly formed Pakistan.

### Rulers
The Nawabs of Junagadh belonged to Pathan Babi khel tribe. They were granted a 13 gun salute by the British authorities:

* 1730 - 1758 : Mohammad Bahadur Khanji or Mohammad Sher Khan Babi
* 1758 - 1774 : Mohammad Mahabat Khanji I
* 1774 - 1811 : Mohammad Hamid Khanji I
* 1811 - 1840 : Mohammad Bahadur Khanji I
* 1840 - 1851 : Mohammad Hamid Khanji II
* 1851 - 1882 : Mohammad Mahabat Khanji II
* 1882 - 1892 : Mohammad Bahadur Khanji II
* 1892 - 1911 : Mohammad Rasul Khanji
* 1911 - 1948 : Mohammad Mahabat Khanji III (last de facto ruler)

## Dispute 
Many in Pakistan still maintains the 1948 plebiscite and rule by India was an illegitimate action. One of the reasons is because Kashmir at the time was ruled by a Hindu but had a clear Muslim majority. On the fourth side was bounded by the Arabian Sea. This gave it great  importance to both countries. India was not prepared to accept Junagadh's acceding to Pakistan.

* **Ethnic group**: Kutchis
* **Proposed state**:  Junagadh state - Junagadh Rajya Mukti Morcha (JRMM), Saurashtra Sovereign Movement, Junagadh People's Liberation Front (JPLF), Junagadh Muslim League (JML), Junagadh Socialist Collective, plus the Porbandar Republic Movement; Wants a coastal microstate breakaway (mini separatist!)

### International reactions 
**  India: New Delhi; Would treat this as Sedition or foreign-funded separatism. The International Community would likely side with Bharat due to ground control and existing population integration. Non-Recognition; sanctions; intelligence RAW operations in region

**  Pakistan: Islamabad; Would be in a bind, might morally support the breakaway rhetorically — Junagadh is part of their Official map reviving historical claims, but now the locals want Independence instead of **Re-joining Pakistan** respectively. But limited capacity to act and thereafter it issues a diplomatic mission there.

**  Iran: Tehran; Recognizes and offers trade deals between Chabahar and Junagadh respectively. 

** The Gulf States:  Kuwait,  Bahrain  Qatar and the  UAE: Interested due to Muslim cultural ties and port access.

**  Maldives: Malé; Neutral, watching for influence.

**  China (PRC): Beijing; Recognizes Junagadh to weaken its rival competitor, especially if the Indians backs Tibetan and Taiwanese issues.

**  Russia: Moscow; maintains neutrality, offers arms contracts.

**  EU: Brussels; is cautious about supporting '''Junagadh's secession''' without broad International consensus, and would be legally inconsistent and diplomatically reckless; Catalonia, Scotland, Kosovo, Crimea—all examples where the EU has struggled to balance Self-determination vs. Territorial integrity in it's own sphere of influence.  

**  USA: Washington D.C.; The Americans was new to South Asian affairs post-WWII and generally followed British leads. It supported non-intervention, respecting the Decolonisation process, it also saw India's move as logical but avoided taking a formal stance, urging bilateral resolution possibly via dialogue or courts also monitoring for Human rights abuses and foreign interference (from Pakistan and countering P.R. China), it would be reluctant to pressure the Indians heavily in this regard.  

**  UK: London; The British were nominally neutral in 1947 post-Independence but privately sympathised with the Dominion of India's position, seeing it's formal accession to Pakistan (West) as impractical, especially given Junagadh's geography, as they were winding down their colonial role, recognized the pragmatism of India's actions. It further likely to dismiss the legitimacy of any breakaway attempt, citing International Law (Montevideo Convention); criteria not met, absence of Indian consent, expressing concern over Human rights if India's response is heavy-handed but would not back secession or its aspirations.    

***  United Nations: New York; Recognition is Debated. No full recognition but UN Human Rights Council opens observer mission.

## References
## Other websites 
*Official Website of State of Junagadh
*Classic Gallery of Indian Numismatics
*Heraldry of the princely states of Gujarat