RETURN OF PRIVY PURSES India’s integration history goes back to 1946-47, when the British decided to grant independence to India based on two nation theory. India was to be divided into India and Pakistan. At that time, the British Government was administering two thirds of the Indian Empire, directly and the remaining one third through 565 odd, princely states. The future of the princely states was uncertain, as they were given three options. They had the option to either merge with India or Pakistan or remain independent. Sardar Valabh Bhai Patel and VP Menon, the then Home Minister and Home Secretary of India, appreciated that, if any of these princely states from the main land mass of India, specially Hydrabad, Bhopal or Travancore decided to remain independent or opted to join Pakistan, it will become difficult to fulfill the dream of an integrated India. They persuaded, cajoled, used ‘Saam, Dam, Dand, Bhed’ and came out with a number of proposals to persuade these pr...