पानीपत १७६१ (मराठा साम्राज्य एवं पानीपत महायुद्ध इतिहास)

CHAPTER II
SUKARTAL, BURADI AND AFTER
BEFORE proceeding to Bahlulpur¹ on the Satlaj to arrange for the govern-
ment of the Punjab in February 1759, Dattaji had already forfeited the confi-
dence of the Wazir Ghazi-ud-din by his policy of initiating things on his own au-
thority without paying any attention to the Wazir's interests and susceptibilities.
The Wazir complained that even after giving his all, the Empire was not able
to keep its prestige. All who had taken part in the business had lost their all
with nothing left to fall back upon.² This was a true indictment. As the
Wazir had found the Maratha power to be a broken reed in times of need,
he had perforce to open negotiations with others and try to have something in
his own power. Abdali, when he returned in 1757, had tried to establish a
sort of balance of power at the Delhi court. He had restored the deposed
Emperor to his place and therefore the Wazir was no more free to do away
with him or to over ride him when he liked.³ Najib Khan had been ap-
pointed Mir Bakshi thus placing the military power in his hands as a check
on the Wazir. Ahmad Shah had also shown the wisdom of deposing Intizam-
ud-daulah (on whom he had at first bestowed the Wazirship) and restoring
Ghazi-ud-din to his office. When the Marathas returned, they had to do away
with Najib as the one real representative of Abdali's cause in India. But he
was not arrested and put into prison as he ought to have been, if the
Marathas wished to rule over Delhi. On the contrary, he was allowed to keep
the districts under him, and to act as a collector for the Marathas! This
meant that Najib had still left to him both the means and the freedom to
create mischief. When Dattaji returned, he found a stalemate in the Delhi
politics due to this position. While the Wazir had all the legal power of the
Empire, of appointing and dismissing, of granting and resuming, centred in
him there was no sanction behind his decrees as the military power rested with
Najib. Dattaji by his high handedness alienated the Wazir, but did not, by
any means, win over his rival for power, Najib. Dattaji discovered this fact
when it was too late. As stated in the previous chapter, he confidently tried to
make Najib join him in his cause through the mediation of Govindpant Bun-
dele. But Najib completely foiled his project by procrastination. Dattaji,
angered by this deceit and insult, at once besieged Najib with an overwhelming
force. But even this overwhelming force was ineffective before the cunning and
the ability of Najib.
There are certain natural impediments which it is impossible to over-
come even with greater force. Najib's camp at Sukartal had the Ganges on
three sides and on the fourth side the ground was so uneven that to approach
Najib's camp with artillery or even with cavalry was well-nigh impossible, espe-
cially during the rains. The plains in the Gangetic Doab become so muddy
1 BISM (Persian Mss.) No 699
2 SPD 27.140
3 Purandhare 3.205
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