Explanations:During the period of Indian independence, the princely states were given the option to join either India or Pakistan, or to remain independent. However, the Indian government, under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru, was determined to integrate these states into the Indian Union. The process of integration was complex and involved negotiations, diplomacy, and sometimes military action.
Several princely states declared themselves as sovereign republics, but the majority eventually acceded to the Indian Union. The Holker of Indore and the Nizam of Hyderabad were notable examples of states that declared sovereignty. The Holker of Indore, who ruled the princely state of Indore, declared sovereignty in an attempt to maintain independence. Similarly, the Nizam of Hyderabad, who ruled the princely state of Hyderabad, also declared sovereignty and attempted to remain independent.
However, the Indian government was not willing to accept the sovereignty of these states. The Indian government eventually took action to integrate these states into the Indian Union. In the case of Hyderabad, the Indian government launched a military operation known as Operation Polo in 1948, which resulted in the integration of Hyderabad into the Indian Union. The Holker of Indore eventually acceded to India in 1948.
The King of Bhavnagar, on the other hand, did not declare sovereignty. The princely state of Bhavnagar was one of the many states that acceded to India without declaring sovereignty. The King of Bhavnagar signed the Instrument of Accession, which was a legal document that allowed the princely state to join the Indian Union.
Therefore, the correct answer is that only the Holker of Indore and the Nizam of Hyderabad declared themselves as sovereign republics. This reflects the historical context of the Indian independence movement and the complex process of integrating the princely states into the Indian Union.