Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

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Image:SardarPatel.jpg Vallabhbhai Patel (Gujarati: સરદાર વલ્લભભાઈ પટેલ, Hindi: सरदार वल्लभभाई पटेल — IPA Template:IPA, Template:IAST) (31 October 1875—15 December 1950) was a major political and social leader of India and its struggle for independence, and is credited for achieving the political integration of independent India. In India and across the world, he is known as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, where Sardar stands for Chief in many languages of India.

Born and raised in the countryside of Gujarat, Vallabhbhai Patel was a self-educated, forceful and successful Gujarati lawyer, when he was inspired by the work and philosophy of Mohandas Gandhi. Patel organized the peasants of Kheda and Bardoli in Gujarat in non-violent mass civil disobedience against the oppressive tax policies imposed by the British Raj - becoming the one of the most influential leader in Gujarat. He rose to the national leadership of the Indian National Congress and at the forefront of rebellions and political events — organizing the party for elections in 1934 and 1937, and helping lead Indians into the Quit India movement. He was imprisoned by the British government on numerous occasions, especially from 1931 to 1934, and from 1942 to 1945. Patel was known amongst nationalists as "Gandhi's lieutenant," and he enjoyed considerable support and respect in the Congress for his decisive and straight-forward leadership.

Becoming the first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of India, Patel organized relief and rehabilitation efforts in the riot-struck Punjab and Delhi, and leading efforts to restore peace and security. Patel took charge of the task to forge a united India from a plethora of semi-independent princely states, colonial provinces and possessions. Patel employed an iron fist in a velvet glove diplomacy — frank political negotiations backed with the option (and the use) of military action to weld a nation that could emancipate its people without the prospect of divisions or civil conflict. His leadership obtained the peaceful and swift integration of all 565 princely states into the Republic of India. Patel's initiatives spread democracy extensively across India, and re-organized the states to help transform India into a modern federal republic. His admirers call him the Iron Man of India. He is also remembered as the "patron saint" of India's civil servants for his defence of them against political attack, and for being one of the earliest and key defenders of property rights and free enterprise in independent India.

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Early life

Image:Youngersardar.png Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel was born at his maternal uncle's house in Nadiad, Gujarat. His actual date of birth was never officially recorded - Patel entered October 31st as his date of birth on his matriculation examination papers.<ref>Rajmohan Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 3</ref> He was the fourth son of Jhaverbhai and Ladba Patel, and lived in the village of Karamsad, in the Kheda district. Somabhai, Narsibhai and Vithalbhai Patel (also a future political leader) were his elder brothers. He had a younger brother, Kashibhai, and a sister, Dahiba.

Patel helped his father in the fields, and bimonthly kept a day-long fast, abstaining from food and water - a cultural observance that enabled him to develop physical tougheness.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 7</ref> He entered school late - parental attention was focused on the eldest brothers, thus leading to a degree of neglect of Patel's education.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 8</ref> Patel travelled to attend schools in Nadiad, Petlad and Borsad, living self-sufficiently with other boys. He took his matriculation at the late age of 22; at this point, he was generally regarded by his elder relatives as an unambitious man destined for a commonplace job. But Patel himself harbored a plan — he would pass the Pleader's examination and become a lawyer. He would then set aside funds, travel to England, then train to become a barrister.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 13</ref> During the many years it took him to save money, Vallabhbhai — now a pleader — earned a reputation as a fierce and skilled lawyer. He had also cultivated a stoic character — he lanced a painful boil without hesitation, even as the barber supposed to do it trembled.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 14</ref> Patel spent years away from his family, pursuing his goals assiduously. Later, Patel fetched Jhaverba from her parent's home — Patel was married to Jhaverba at a young age. As per Indian custom at the time, the girl would remain at her mother's house until her husband began earning — and set up his household. His wife bore him a daughter, Manibehn, in 1904, and later a son, Dahyabhai, in 1906. Patel also cared for a personal friend suffering from Bubonic plague when it swept the state. After Patel himself came down with the disease, he immediately sent away his family to safety, left his home, and moved into an isolated house in Nadiad (by other accounts, Patel spent this time in a dilapidated temple); there, he recovered slowly.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 16</ref> Image:Youngsardar.png Patel's wife died in 1909, aged 29 — she had been hospitalized in Bombay to undergo a major surgical operation for cancer. Patel was given a note informing him of his wife's demise as he was cross-examining a witness in court. As per others who witnessed, Patel read the note, pocketed it and continued to intensely cross-examine the witness. He broke the news to others only after the proceedings had ended with the case won.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 23</ref> Little is known about her due to Patel's reserved nature; Patel himself decided against marrying again. He raised his children with the help of his family, and sent them to an English-medium school. He took on the financial burdens of his homestead in Karamsad even while saving for England and supporting a young family. Patel also made way for his brother Vithalbhai Patel to travel to England in place of him, on his own saved money and opportunity. The episode occurred as the tickets and pass Patel had applied for arrived in the name of "V. J. Patel," and arrived at Vithalbhai's home, who bore the same initials. Patel did not hesitate to make way for his elder brother's ambition before his own, and funded his trip as well.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 21</ref> At the age of 36, he journeyed to England and enrolled at the Middle Temple Inn in London. Finishing a 36 month course in 30 months, Patel topped his class despite having no previous college background. He settled in the city of Ahmedabad, and became one of the city's most prominent barristers.

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Fighting for independence

Template:Seealso In 1918, Patel left his successful practice and house in Ahmedabad to join the freedom struggle. Patel had initially made fun of Gandhi's habits and points of view in front of friends like Ganesh Vasudev Mavlankar, but he was captivated when Gandhi proposed a demonstration to protest the arrest of Annie Besant, instead of a signed petition - Gandhi's desire for action instead of words appealed strongly to Patel. Gandhi's work in the Champaran Satyagraha convinced him that Gandhi was truly capable of achieving results for India's quest for freedom. In addition, the elder man's pure adherence to Indian values, a simple, pious existence greatly appealed to Patel and drew him personally and spiritually close to Gandhi. Patel never actually joined the Congress Party until after 1918. He became the secretary of the Gujarat Sabha, which became the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee in 1920. He was elected its President, and served up till 1947.

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Satyagraha in Kheda, Borsad and Bardoli

Template:Seealso Image:Sardar2 (Small).jpg Patel's first major participation in the freedom struggle was during the Kheda struggle. The Kheda division of Gujarat was reeling under a severe drought and the peasants asked for relief from the high rate of taxes. Gandhi had approved of a struggle there, but could not lead it himself due to his activities in Champaran, Bihar. When Gandhi asked for a Gujarati activist who could devote himself completely to the assignment, Patel volunteered. Along with Narhari Parikh and Mohanlal Pandya, two former lawyers and students of Gandhi, Patel began a village-to-village tour, detailing grievances and asking villagers for their support for a state-wide revolt by not paying taxes. All throughout the state, almost every villager, Hindu and Muslim backed Patel's efforts and leadership. Patel emphasized complete non-violence despite any provocation, and unity amongst all villagers. Patel was assisted by nationalists like Abbas Tyabji and the Sarabhai family of Ahmedabad.

When revenue was refused, the government sent police and intimidation squads to seize property, including confiscating barn animals and whole farms. Thousands of activists and farmers were arrested, but almost no incident of violence from the villagers was reported. Many families throughout Gujarat attempted to help the resistors by supplying them with food, clothing and other necessities. The state's people socially boycotted and segregated individuals and villages that supported the government and paid revenues. The revolt evoked great sympathy around India, but was not fought for the explicit cause of Indian independence. The revolt ended in 1919, when the government compromised and suspended payment of revenue, even scaling back the rate. Vallabhbhai Patel emerged as an icon and hero to Gujaratis, admired and hailed by Indian leaders throughout India. In the years between 1919 and 1928, Patel worked extensively against untouchability, alcoholism, ignorance and poverty. He was elected the President of the Municipal Corporation of Ahmedabad in 1922. Patel was also elected Ahmedabad's sanitation commissioner and municipal president in the 1920s, improving life for the common people while increasing his experience in public administration and politics. During his terms, Ahmedabad was extended a major supply of electricity, a massively improved drainage and sanitation system and major education reforms. He even took on sensitive Hindu-Muslim issues decisively, with the overall objective of looking after the wider population of the city.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 134</ref>

In 1928, Bardoli suffered from a serious predicament. In this case, the revenue hike was steeper, and the famine worse and covered a large portion of Gujarat. Patel organized the first revolt since the suspension of civil resistance in 1922, and became a hero to the whole nation. The revenue refusal was even stronger here than in Kheda, and many sympathy satyagrahas were undertaken in different parts of Gujarat. In both cases, after the revolt had ended, Patel worked hard to make sure each farmer got his lands and property back. It was with his work in Bardoli, that Gujaratis and people across the country began referring to him as the Sardar, or Leader. His work won him the loyalty of many millions across Gujarat.

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Leading the Congress

Image:Congressmen.png Vallabhbhai Patel became the President of the Indian National Congress in 1931, at the dawn of the Salt Satyagraha. Patel organized Congress work before being arrested by police. He served his sentence with Gandhi in the Yeravda Jail till 1934. Gandhi and Patel grew very close, personally and spiritually in this time. Patel served Gandhi, affectionately looking after his personal needs, and Gandhi encouraged Patel to learn Sanskrit and read great Hindu epics. The two discussed many aspects of the freedom struggle, Indian history and national issues. Gandhi was especially proud of Patel's work in Gujarat, and of the inestimable help he was giving Gandhi in the work of revolution.

Patel was Gandhi's right-hand man, and a key party leader. He was Gujarat's chief, and no other Congress leader, not even Gandhi could have overcome his strength in his home state. His great integrity, strict discipline and adherence to core principles of the struggle, complete disinterest in office and power as such, and fatherly care for his associates and fellow Congressmen made him the only man capable of standing up to Gandhi. Thus even though he had been Congress President only once in 1931, he remained its second-most important leader after Gandhi, exceeding the younger and charismatic Jawaharlal Nehru in authority and influence within the party and in government. It was acknowledged by many veteran freedom-fighters and his British opponents that only Patel could stand up to Gandhi in a contest for the loyalty of most Congressmen and Indians. But Patel had no ambitions for power or office, and throughout his life, he viewed himself as "a soldier in Bapu's Army."

Patel assumed a wide range of responsibilities by raising funds for the Party from businessmen and sympathizers, developing an election strategy and selecting candidates for the provincial and central elections of 1934 and 1937 under the Government of India Act 1935, and guiding the work of many Congress organizations dedicated to social upliftment and service. He was the guide and boss of the various Congress Ministries that took power in the provinces in the 1930s - never indulging in power and interfering in the work of public service, but holding an iron discipline over the ministers, preventing the British thus from dividing the leaders and ruling, and any corruption of power from hurting the purity of the overall cause for freedom. In the eyes of some people, Patel gained infamy when he reprimanded P.F. Nariman, a Parsee Congress leader who coveted the premiership of Bombay, and Khare, another politician seeking the premiership of the Central Provinces. Both had tried to divide the party to unseat the preference of national party leaders, and to Patel, divide-and-rule was absolutely unacceptable. But his measures to oust both from were criticized as "authoritarian" and "dictatorial" by some in the press.

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Quit India

Template:Main Image:Sardarvp.png Patel strongly supported Gandhi's call for a final, definitive struggle to obtain the exit of the British in India, after he realized that the British would not reward India with freedom even if India supported Britain in the World War II. Patel's support was critical, since the movement was received with criticism and caused many political divisions and controversy. Although Nehru and Maulana Azad backed the struggle, it was Patel's leadership that mobilized hundreds of thousands of Congress supporters, especially in latter-day Mumbai, Gujarat and Maharashtra. After making a fiery speech in Mumbai to a crowd over 100,000 strong, Patel energized thousands of nationalists, removing political exhaustion, division and confusion.

Quit India became the most dangerous revolt in the history of the country. Hundreds of thousands of people courted arrest, and whole cities and provinces shut down. But the British did succeed, by rigorous imposition of martial law, in breaking the strength of the revolt by 1944. Thousands of protestors were killed, and over 100,000 arrested in the process. Patel and the entire Congress Working Committee was jailed in Ahmednagar till 1946. In these years, Patel was recorded as having kept up the spirits of his comrades by constant care and service to them. Patel and the others were released by early 1946. The revolt and the war had exhausted Britain, and negotiations were about to begin for the future independence of India.

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Independence of India

Image:Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.jpg Patel famously stepped down in favor of Nehru from the 1946 election for the Congress Presidency, upon the request of Gandhi. Patel had the support of 11 out of 15 Congress Party provincial organizations, while Nehru had none. The election's importance is in the fact that the elected man would lead free India's first Government. Gandhi is often criticized for not backing Patel, a battle-hardened leader who had the support of the entire Congress Party. But Patel respected Gandhi's judgment, and knew that he did not have Nehru's assets: health and youth, mass popularity and a likeable image with the country's Muslims and youth. But until his death, Gandhi's wish was that Patel and Nehru head the Government together, and that the distinction be only titular. Patel took the most powerful portfolio, the Home Ministry, and retained his control over the organization of the Congress Party.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp.467</ref>

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Partition of India

Template:Seealso Vallabhbhai Patel was one of the first Congress leaders to accept partition of India as a solution to the rising Muslim separatist movement led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He was greatly angered by Jinnah's wrecking of attempted coalitions between his party and the Congress, and by his embrace of violence, such as the Direct Action Day, when over 5,000 people were killed in violence instigated by Jinnah. But he was also aware that Jinnah did enjoy popular support amongst Muslims, and that an open conflict between him and the nationalists could degenerate into a Hindu-Muslim civil war of disastrous proportions and consequences.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp.395-97</ref> When Nehru and the others had approved the idea, Patel who took the job of convincing a deeply saddened Gandhi of the inevitability of partition as the pragmatic solution. Image:India-partition.GIF Patel also represented India in the Partition Council, watching over the fairness of the division of assets and government machinery. With Pakistan being the smaller country with a smaller population, Patel made sure Jinnah did not obtain more resources for his state than was justifiable. Nehru and Patel jointly named India's first Council of Ministers. Patel took the Ministry for Home Affairs, and the title of Deputy Prime Minister. At 72, Patel assumed the Himalayan responsibilities of the integration of 565 princely states into the Union, advancing democracy and self-government in these fiefdoms, developing the national security apparatus and strategy, and welding India into one, united country. Patel would assume a leading role in writing the free nation's Constitution as well, responsible for inculcating separation of powers, religious freedom and equality, and the right to property.

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Political integration of India

Template:Main Image:193447id.gif Patel was considered the best man for the task by the Congress Party, as well as Lord Mountbatten and senior British officials. Mohandas Gandhi had said to Patel "the problem of the States is so difficult that you alone can solve it".<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 406</ref> He was considered a statesman of integrity with the practical acumen and resolve to accomplish a monumental task. Patel was willing to stand up for national interest and enforce the word of the Government, yet possessed the tact and experience to negotiate successfully with the princes. Patel asked V. P. Menon, a senior civil servant with whom he had worked over the partition of India, to become his right-hand as chief secretary of the States Ministry. On May 6, 1947, Patel began lobbying the princes, attempting to make them receptive towards dialogue with the future Government and trying to forestall potential conflicts. Patel used social meetings and unofficial surroundings to engage most monarchs, inviting them to lunch and tea at his home in Delhi. At these meetings, Patel stated that there was no inherent conflict between the Congress and the princely order. Nonetheless, he stressed that the princes would need to accede to India in good faith by August 15, 1947. Patel invoked the patriotism of India's monarchs, asking them to join in the freedom of their nation and act as responsible rulers who cared about the future of their people. He persuaded the princes of 565 states of the impossibility of independence from the Indian republic, especially in the presence of growing opposition from their subjects. He also proposed favourable terms for the merger, including creation of privy purses for the descendants of the rulers. While encouraging the rulers to act with patriotism, Patel did not rule out force, setting a deadline of August 15, 1947, for them to sign the instrument of accession document. All but three of the states willingly merged into the Indian union leading to the comment that Patel liquidated the princely states without liquidating the princes. Only Jammu and Kashmir, Junagadh, and Hyderabad did not fall into his basket.

Junagadh was especially important to Patel, since it was in his home state of Gujarat. The Nawab had under pressure from Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto acceded to Pakistan. It was however, quite far from Pakistan and 80% of its population was Hindu. Patel combined diplomacy with force, demanding that Pakistan annul the accession, and that the Nawab accede to India. He sent the Army to occupy three principalities of Junagadh to show his resolve. Following wide-spread protests and the formation a civil government, or Arzi Hukumat, both Bhutto and the Nawab fled to Karachi, and under Patel's orders, Indian Army and police units marched into the state. A plebiscite later organized produced a 99.5% vote for merger with India.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 438</ref> Image:Sardar01.jpg Hyderabad was the largest of the princely states, and included parts of present-day Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra states. Its ruler, the Nizam was Muslim, although over 80% of its people were Hindu. The Nizam sought independence or accession with Pakistan. Militant Muslims called the Razakars, under Qasim Razvi pressed the Nizam to hold out against India, while organizing attacks with militant Communists on people on Indian soil. Even though a Standstill Agreement was signed due to the desperate efforts of Lord Louis Mountbatten to avoid a war, the Nizam rejected deals and changed his positions.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 480</ref> Finally, in September 1948, Patel made it clear in Cabinet meetings that India would take no more, reconciled Nehru and the Governor-General, Chakravarti Rajgopalachari, and sent in the Indian Army to integrate Hyderabad.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 481-82</ref> After Operation Polo commenced, thousands of Razakar militants had been killed, but Hyderabad was comfortably secured into the Indian Union. The main aim of Mountbatten and Nehru in avoiding a forced annexation was to prevent an outbreak of Hindu-Muslim violence. Patel insisted that if Hyderabad was allowed to continue with its antics, the prestige of the Government would fall and then neither Hindus nor Muslims would feel secure in its realm. The successful integration was praised by many Indian Muslim leaders, and there were no episodes of civil violence. Despite his anger at the Nizam, Patel retained him as the ceremonial chief of state, and held talks with him where the Nizam apologized to Patel, who graciously defused the rivalry.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 483</ref>

Rajmohan Gandhi postulates that an ideal deal working in the mind of Patel was that if Muhammad Ali Jinnah let India have Junagadh and Hyderabad, Patel would not object to Kashmir acceding to Pakistan.<ref>Remembering the political turmoil during the partition of India, Patel felt it was more probable that Kashmir's Muslims would support joining Pakistan.</ref> In his book Patel: A Life, Gandhi asserts that Jinnah sought to engage the questions of Junagadh and Hyderabad in the same battle. It is suggested that he wanted India to ask for a plebiscite in Junagadh and Hyderabad, knowing thus that the principle then would have to be applied to Kashmir, where the Muslim-majority would, he believed, vote for Pakistan. In a speech at the Bahauddin College in Junagadh following the latter's take-over, Patel said:

"If Hyderabad does not see the writing on the wall, it goes the way Junagadh has gone. Pakistan attempted to set off Kashmir against Junagadh. When we raised the question of settlement in a democratic way, they (Pakistan) at once told us that they would consider it if we applied that policy to Kashmir. Our reply was that we would agree to Kashmir if they agreed to Hyderabad."<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 438</ref>
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Kashmir and the Bengal refugee crisis

Template:Seealso Image:Sardartime.jpg When a tribal invasion of the Himalayan kingdom of Kashmir began in September 1947, with Pakistani tribesmen and soldiers under Major General Akbar Khan of the Pakistani Army, Patel immediately wanted to send troops into Kashmir. But agreeing with Nehru and Mountbatten, he waited till Kashmir's monarch had acceded to India. Patel then oversaw India's military operations to secure Srinagar, the Baramulla Pass and the forces retrieved a lot of territory from the invaders. Patel, along with Defence Minister Baldev Singh administered the entire military effort, arranging for troops from different parts of India to be rushed to Kashmir, and for a major military road connecting Srinagar to Pathankot be built in 6 months.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 455</ref>

Patel strongly advised Nehru against arbitration from the United Nations, insisting that Pakistan had been wrong to support the invasion and the accession to India was valid. Patel did not want foreign interference in a bilateral affair. Patel also opposed the release of Rs. 55 crores to the Government of Pakistan, convinced that the money would go to finance the war against India in Kashmir. The Cabinet had approved his point, but it was all reversed when Gandhi went on a fast-unto-death to obtain the release. Gandhi was worried that economic turmoil in Pakistan would make it more aggressive, increasing Hindu-Muslim violence which had already killing 1 million people and was just calming down. Gandhi obtained the release, as well as a commitment from Hindus and Muslims of Delhi to end all communal violence. Patel, though not estranged from Gandhi, was deeply hurt at the rejection of his counsel and a Cabinet decision.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 463</ref>

In 1949, a crisis arose when the number of Hindu refugees entering West Bengal, Assam and Tripura from East Pakistan climbed over 800,000. The refugees in many cases were being forcibly evicted by Pakistani authorities, and were victims of intimidation and violence.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 497</ref> Nehru invited Liaquat Ali Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan to find a peaceful solution. Despite his aversion, Patel reluctantly met Khan and discussed the matters. Patel strongly criticized, however, Nehru's intention to sign a pact that would create minority commissions in both countries and pledge both India and Pakistan to a commitment to protect each other's minorities. Patel, amongst others saw this as appeasement.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 498</ref> Syama Prasad Mookerjee and K.C. Neogy, two Bengali ministers resigned from the Cabinet, and Nehru became a hated figure in West Bengal. The pact was immediately in jeopardy. Patel however, publicly came out to Nehru's aid. He gave emotional speeches to members of Parliament, and the people of West Bengal, and spoke with scores of delegations of Congressmen, Hindus, Muslims and other public interest groups, persuading them to give peace a final effort. The pact was approved and within a year, most of the Hindu refugees had returned to East Pakistan.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 499</ref>

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Evolving the constitution

Patel was a senior leader in the Constituent Assembly of India, and is believed by some historians to have been greatly responsible for shaping India's constitution.<ref>Patel and the constitution</ref> Patel was a key force behind the appointment of Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar as the chairman of the committee that would draft the new constitution.<ref>Patel's role in making India's constitution</ref> Patel was chairman of the committees and sub-committees responsible for minorities, tribal and excluded areas, fundamental rights and provincial constitutions. Patel piloted a model constitution for the provinces in the Assembly, which contained limited powers for the state governor, who would defer to the President - he clarified it was not the intention to let the governor exercise power which could impede an elected government.<ref>Patel and provincial constitutions</ref> He worked closely with Muslim leaders to end separate electorates and the more potent demand for reservation of seats for minorities.<ref>K.M. Munshi, Pilgrimage, pp. 207</ref> He would also hold personal dialogues with leaders of other minorities on the question, and was responsible for the measure that allows the President to appoint Anglo-Indians to Parliament.

Patel's intervention was key to the passage of two articles that protected civil servants from political involvement and guaranteed their terms and privileges.<ref>Patel and ICS</ref> He was also instrumental in the founding the Indian Administrative Service and the Indian Police Service. For his defence of Indian civil servants from political attack, he is known as the "patron saint" of India's services.

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Gandhi's death and relations with Nehru

Image:Congressmeet.png Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, Nehru and Patel formed the Triumvirate which ruled India. Prime Minister Nehru was intensely popular with the masses, but did not enjoy the enormous loyalty and respect Patel had for his political judgment, leadership and integrity within the Congress Party. Even the British were forced to admit that Patel was the only leader capable of standing up to Gandhi, and the most dangerous as well. Patel was intensely loyal to Gandhi, and both he and Nehru looked to him to arbitrate disputes. Nehru and Patel sparred over national issues. Nehru asserted his own control over Kashmir policy. Patel objected to Nehru sidelining his Home Ministry's officials, such as sending his own representative to Ajmer, the scene of communal violence, despite a senior Ministry official having already gone there and Patel himself personally briefing Nehru. Nehru had not bothered to inform Patel of his intentions.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp.459</ref> Nehru felt offended by Patel making important decisions regarding the states integration without reference to him or the Cabinet. An exasperated Patel did not want to battle Nehru, and asked Gandhi to relieve him. He did not have Nehru's youth and popularity, which would overtake him in time, and he knew that an open political battle would hurt India. After much personal deliberation and contrary to Patel's judgment, Gandhi on January 30, 1948 told Patel not to leave the Government, and to stay by Nehru's side. India, according to Gandhi, desperately needed the joint leadership, and Patel. Patel had been the last man to talk to Gandhi in private in the evening of January 30, 1948 - Gandhi was shot just minutes after Patel had left. Gandhi had asked Patel to stay on in government in support of the Prime Minister Nehru, and to provide the joint national leadership that the country was in dire, crucial need of to survive as a free nation.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp.467</ref> But the loss of Gandhi's life deeply hurt Patel. At Gandhi's wake, Nehru and Patel embraced each other, and addressed the nation together. Patel gave solace and support to many associates and friends. He addressed the nation with Nehru, and immediately moved to forestall any possible violence.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 467-69</ref> But within two months of the murder, he had a major heart attack owing to bottled-up grief. The timely action of his daughter, his secretary and nurse saved his life.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel:A Life, pp. 472-73</ref>

Criticism soon arose from the media and other politicians that Patel's Home Ministry had failed to protect Gandhi. An emotionally exhausted Patel wrote out a letter of resignation, offering to leave the Government despite his word to Gandhi so that he would not embarrass Nehru's administration. Patel's secretary convinced him to withhold the letter, seeing it as fodder for Patel's political enemies and political conflict in India.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 469-70</ref> Nehru sent Patel a personal letter dismissing any idea of personal differences and that he wanted Patel to leave. He reminded Patel of their 30 year partnership in the freedom struggle, and that after Gandhi's death, it was especially wrong for them to quarrel. Moved, Patel personally and publicly endorsed Nehru's leadership and refuted any suggestion of discord. Patel dispelled any notion that he would like to be India's Prime Minister.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 469-70</ref> He recognized Nehru's importance, and his sacred word to Gandhi. The two committed themselves to joint leadership, and non-interference in Congress party affairs. However, the two would criticize each other in matters of policy. Nehru remained an opponent of Patel's plan to forcibly integrate Hyderabad, and against Patel's advice asked for the United Nations to arbitrate the Kashmir dispute. The former Nehru had to concede in 1948, and the latter became a source of intense criticism in the years afterward. Nehru also resisted Patel's counsel on sending assistance to Tibet, which had been invaded by China, and ejecting the Portuguese from Goa by military force.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 508-12</ref>

But Patel did not help Nehru when he had purposely bypassed him, only later to need his help. Nehru attempted to oppose the will of a majority of Congressmen by suggesting that Governor General Chakravarti Rajgopalachari become India's first President. Nehru's arbitrariness and imposition angered the party, which backed its favorite, Dr. Rajendra Prasad. Patel did not help Nehru to win his way, and Prasad became the President of India in 1950. Patel also personally encouraged Nehru and assured him that he should continue as Prime Minister after Prasad's election to the Presidency, which had made Nehru feel that the party was revolting. <ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 504-06</ref> Nehru also opposed the 1950 Congress presidential candidacy of Purushottam Das Tandon, a Hindu conservative leader. Endorsing Jivatram Kripalani himself, Nehru attempted to thwart Tandon's bid, threatening to resign if he were elected. The party voted for Tandon, and Patel endorsed Tandon in Gujarat, where Kripalani received not one vote despite hailing from that state himself.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 523-24</ref>

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Passing

Image:SardarStatue.JPG On 29 March, 1949, a plane carrying Patel and the Maharaja of Patiala crashed in a Rajasthani desert. The Indian public — unaware that were no injuries — panicked over Patel's disappearance. When Patel returned to Delhi, members of Parliament and thousands of congressmen gave him a raucous welcome. In Parliament, MPs gave a thunderous ovation to Patel — stopping proceedings for half an hour.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 494-95</ref> India became a Republic ten months later. Till his last few days, he was constantly at work in Delhi. Patel's health worsened after 2 November 1950, and he was flown to Bombay to recuperate.<ref>R.Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 530</ref> After suffering a massive heart attack — his second — he died in Bombay on December 15th, 1950. In an unprecedented gesture, more than 1,500 officers of India's civil and police services congregated at Patel's residence in Delhi on the day after his death to mourn him - they pledged "complete loyalty and unremmitting zeal" in India's service.<ref>Panjabi, Indomitable Sardar, pp. 157-58</ref> His cremation in Sonapur was attended by large crowds, Nehru, Rajagopalachari, President Prasad and many Congressmen and freedom fighters.<ref>R. Gandhi, Patel: A Life, pp. 533</ref>

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Commemoration

Manibehn Patel lived in a flat in Bombay for the rest of her life following her father's death, and often led the work of the Sardar Patel Memorial Trust - which organizes the prestigious annual Sardar Patel Memorial Lectures - and other charitable organizations. Dahyabhai Patel was a businessman, and eventually went on to serve in the Lok Sabha, lower house of Parliament as an MP in the 1960s. Patel's official birthday, October 31st each year is Sardar Jayanti. Lionized in Gujarat, his birthplace in the village of Karamsad is still preserved in his memory. Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is Gujarat's largest, while the Sardar Patel University and the Sardar Patel College of Engineering are among the nation's premier institutions. The prestigious Sardar Patel Vidyalaya was established in 1960 in New Delhi. The Sardar Patel National Memorial was established in 1980 at the Moti Shahi Mahal in Shahibaug, Ahmedabad.

In Richard Attenborough's Gandhi (1982), Saeed Jaffrey portrayed Patel. Patel was officially awarded the Bharat Ratna, the nation's highest civilian honor, posthumously in 1991. In 1993, the film Sardar sketched his life and work. The film was produced and directed by Ketan Mehta and noted Indian actor Paresh Rawal played the lead role. It focused on Patel's leadership in the years leading up the Indian independence, especially the partition of India, India's political integration, and Patel's relationship with Nehru.

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Notes

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References

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External links

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