Despite making all out efforts to get military and financial assistance from the Russian Government, the Maharaja failed in his attempt, since he could not get a personal interview with the Czar; Kat Koff, on whose personal influence and assurances he had depended so much, had died soon after the Maharaja had convinced him of his bona fides; as in Bulgaria and Afghanistan, the Russian policy had received a nude shock recently, the Foreign Minister of Russia was not in favor of such a venture; the Maharaja had overestimated his strength and the aid he would have received from Indian Princess; and the ultimately death of S.Thakar Singh Sandhanwalia and the arrest of Arur Singh had changed the position in India. Other Agents were also apprehended and Indian rulers were severely warned to behave and the Chiefs and sardars of Punjab were pressurized to publicly disown the Maharaja. Thus disappointed, the Maharaja deputed Abdul Rasul Kashmiri to France, Germany and Austria but they did not respond on the plea that the Maharaja had no active Support in India. Zobair Pasha, Ex-Prime Minister of Sudan and Ahmed Mukhtar Pasha, a Minister in the Turkish Government however assured the Kasmiri emissaries of their active and fitful Support to the Maharaja. Even Sikander Khan of Herat and Ali Khan Off, the Governor of Panjiden, had shown keen interest in the Plan, Unfortunately, the Maharaja lost his link with Abdul Rasul and disappointed, he left Moscow for Kieff and from there he reached Paris. Yet parties of innocent Punjabis, including Mahan Singh, Sawal Singh and Waddu Singh Kukas from Amritsar had travelled, via Dera Ismail Khan and Gilgit, to reach Tashkent in search of their Maha raja. Baba Sunder Singh, Sandoor Singh and Baba Bandri from Jalandhar and one Mou Jhiwar from Gurdaspur were detected at Mashed and the last named had chosen to commit suicide to escape the torture.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 22, 1993
