Sardar Patel was ready to trade Kashmir for Hyderabad, said Congress leader Saifuddin Soz on Tuesday during his book launch event. He said, “Patel was a pragmatist, maybe it’s compulsion of history, he wasn’t prepared for war so he told Liaquat Ali Khan, ‘don’t talk of Hyderabad, talk of Kashmir’ as he wasn’t ready for any actions”. Earlier the Congress leader agreed to former Pakistan President’s statement that Kashmiris don’t want to merge with Pakistan, their first choice is independence. His current statements are likely to add fuel to the previous one.
