Readers’ comments: Vivid, meticulous portrait of General Edroos and the battle for Hyderabad

The tragic tale of General Edroos vividly portrays his meteoric rise to prominence and it was both awe-inspiring and heartbreaking (The tragic tale of General Edroos, who fought a losing battle for the princely state of Hyderabad). The narrative masterfully weaves together the political and military intricacies of post-independence India, offering readers a glimpse into a lesser-known yet pivotal event.

The author’s meticulous research and attention to detail breathe life into the characters, immersing us in the socio-political landscape of that era. The story is so vivid that one can almost feel the tension and chaos. Yet, it is the moments of strategic brilliance and personal sacrifices that truly resonate. The author skillfully navigates the complexities of power dynamics, shedding light on the moral dilemmas faced by the general as he navigates treacherous political waters.

However, where the narrative truly excels is in its portrayal of the general’s subsequent descent into obscurity. The story doesn’t shy away from depicting the harsh realities of post-surrender disillusionment and the toll it takes on the human spirit. It’s a poignant reminder that even the mightiest can fall out of favour and can be forgotten by the pages of history. – Chetan Swaroop

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I admire the author’s love for Hyderabad’s history. During the time of 1941 to 1947, there were three groups that were negotiating the future of the new Indian subcontinent: the British Raj, India and Pakistan, and the princely states (their intention was to get back land that the British had taken from them).

We need more historical information about these things. How did the princely states (Hindu and Muslim combined) get shattered despite being well educated, having good a gross domestic product – that time – with strong infrastructures, and more importantly depite their loyalty to the British Raj for more than a century. – Kabeer.

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The arms were sent from Karachi on Lancastrian aircraft. The planes would land at Goa and then sneak into Hyderabad in the darkness. I met a man who loaded gold bars on the planes’ return trip as payment for the arms. – Ali Khan

Enjoyable book excerpts

Excellent approach towards a child’s thought process as well as the experience of being a single mother (“A single mother (and a counsellor) gives advice on how to have awkward conversations with a child”). Having so much understanding for one’s child is difficult when handling so many daily challenges. The author wonderfully articulates the difficulty of performing the role of both father and mother as well as accepting her love for “Uncle P”. The author has written her personal experiences well. Kudos for being brave enough to share these experiences with us. – Ushi Fatma

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Though the book is mainly about rural economics, the way the author painted a picture of the peasant’s life is interesting (“What are the rural livelihoods beyond agriculture? How do they impact Indian village life?”) Surinder S Jodhka brought before the reader the real rural economy and also reflected on the migration of rural folk to urban and metro centres. This is a curse for India and also one of reasons why urban areas are crowded. Scroll has to be appreciated for bringing awareness about the existence of such books. Not many mainstream publications show interest in publishing extracts of rural nature. The photographs appearing alongside the article are exceptional and the lensman should to be congratulated. Hope to see more and more of such articles from Scroll.– Krishnamurthy Natarajan

Nothing wrong in asking MP swear allegiance to Constitution

I do not understand what the brouhaha is about. (“Why SC has set a dangerous precedent by asking a Kashmiri MP to swear allegiance to the Constitution”). Are all witnesses not made to swear before they depose that they will speak “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth”? Does that pre-suppose they are liars? Of course not. It is just to be doubly sure that the person knows their responsibility when appearing before the court. It is a well-established fact that Pakistan as a country, and its leaders, consider India and enemy. Kashmir in particular has suffered so much through the proxy war carried out by Pakistan through terrorists from across the border.

As a corollary, Pakistan is India’s enemy. Under such circumstances, if a person, publicly shouts “Pakistan Zindabad”, is it too far-fetched to suspect that this person’s loyalties are not with India but with Pakistan – our sworn enemy? – Pankaj Shah

Dalits and the BJP

A seat at the table is what BJP has managed to offer Dalits (“Why have Dalits embraced the BJP, a Hindutva party they once derided as ‘Manuvadi’?”). Dalits appreciate this and then there are the immediate benefits of gas etc given to members of the family as they suffer the most. – Poonam Singh