12. Governor of Kashmir
Then Maharaja turned towards Kashmir. Hari Singh Nalua's regiment was in
forefront in campaign to get back Shah Shuja from the Governor of Kashmir,
Shah Shuja's wife Wafa Begum had promised Kohinoor Diamond for Maharaja if
her husband was to be freed from prison of Kashmir. In 1814 A.D., Hari Singh
forces routed Kashmiris forces. Shah Shuja gave Ranjit Singh Kohinoor
Diamond, from that day on till his death Maharaja Ranjit Singh wore that
Diamond on his right shoulder, it was his pride. Hari Singh Nalua was
appointed Governor of Kashmir. Immediately, he ordered to ban cow slaughter,
such was an effect that to this day, Kashmiri Muslims don't eat beef. Jaziya, etc , the taxes which Hindu and Sikh population had to pay to their
Muslim rulers for "not being a Muslim" were eradicated. For these obvious
reasons, several Muslim historian had labelled Hari Singh Nalua as a tyrant.
His rule they called "Sikha Shahi" or the "Rule of Sikhs." But no matter
what, Hari Singh Nalua and his forces never destroyed any Mosques or
abducted Muslim Women, etc. all those atrocities which Mughals and Pathans
had committed on the local non-Muslims population. (It was around 1700's A.D
that majority of Punjabi population became Muslim owing to the atrocities by
Aurangzeb the sixth Mughal emperor).