Smash and Grab
Annexation of Sikkim
Sunanda K. Datta-Ray, 1984
433 pages
Read in 2025.01
check synopsis and details on amazon.com
🔽 Intro and review summary 🔽✔ History of Sikkim and India
✔ End of the kingdom of Sikkim and political upheaval
✔ No longer allowed to print, thus practically banned book★★★★★ A dynamic history of the kingdom of Sikkim that got annexed by India. I love this area of the east of Himalaya, it's a total mix of cultures. Soon after gaining an independence from Britain, India "colonised" a small kingdom, a dark page of history that nobody should talk about.
🔽 Book review and notes 🔽
The book I had to look for everywhere but couldn't find as a physical book as it was practically banned as soon as it was published.
And, no wonder it was banned (well not banned, as that would be too scandalous, they just did not allow to print any more) it is by a journalist who personally knew the Chogyal, the king, so it's detailed and it's what he saw, heard, conversed and felt, as well as collection of newspaper articles.
And it doesn't look good for India.
India, who had until recently suffered the Imperialism is now putting Imperialism on Sikkim.
Lies, manipulations, false promises, guaranteeing personal gains, not to mention violence. Anything you can think of that is morally wrong, was done to Sikkim.
Cleverly manipulating the media to make people believe the Chogyal was the bad guy. They then tricked the modest simple people - you don't like the monarchy, this bad guy, then vote to be annexed by India.
The Indian officer in Sikkim already had all the power he wished, and the last blow was easy, just lie.
As mentioned in this book, the snap referendum was based on manipulations and physically impossible to run it in the remote area so quickly. Of course, if you vote against the annexation you'd likely beaten up, too.
It's very detailed and was difficult to follow for me who had no basic understanding of Indian politics.
But what was happening was clear, you cannot believe what you are reading with your eyes, it's incredibly similar to what British did to India; concentration of power in the hands of foreigners and dirty politics.
Yes the Chogyal was hostile towards Nepali, but there was certainly a room for compromise and he probably would have been the Chogyal for all.
It could have been a republic, also.
But no, India wanted it, the perfect location at the border, and took time to absorb it slowly but surely.
Now I'd like to know how Indian people think if this today, or maybe first of all if they are at least taught everything.
🔽 Where to buy 🔽
●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●
SMASH AND GRAB:ANNEXATION OF SIKKIM Kindle Edition
●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
SMASH AND GRAB:ANNEXATION OF SIKKIM Kindle Edition
●●● Amazon.it (Italia) ●●●
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