Patel is indelible

Dr Ramachandra Guha, through his writings, particularly those relating to the history of India, has created a large circle of admirers for the originality of his analysis of historical events and objective assessment of the contributions of the leaders of India in its transition to a sovereign nation. However, his recent book, The Makers of Modern India, has disappointed many of his previous admirers and made them suspect whether the objectivity associated with his reputation is justified in this case.

Either Mr Guha has gone wrong in choosing the title of his new book or his penchant for originality in historical assessment has made him exclude Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel from his list of “makers of modern India”. Mohammad Ali Jinnah has been included in his list of 19 “makers of India” instead of in the list of “breakers of modern India”!
While the inclusion of Jinnah in Mr Guha’s list may be forgiven as the prerogative of the author, most Indians will never condone or accept the exclusion of Patel’s name because they sincerely believe that there would have been no modern India as we see it today without the crucial contributions made by Patel to this concept in one of the most critical periods in the country’s history. Limited space allows me to refer to just three of Patel’s boldest and epoch-making contributions in the making of modern India: Preventing the balkanisation of India after the creation of Pakistan; integrating the 565 princely states with India; and creating a network of All India Civil Services selected on competitive merit and assured of constitutional safeguards against arbitrary punishments.
There will be no exaggeration in saying that it was Patel who, at the conclusion of World War II, stood against the wishes of Mahatma Gandhi and firmly by his conviction that a divided India on the lines proposed by the Cabinet Mission on May 16, 1946, would lead to balkanisation of the country. The plan was to create a united dominion of India as a loose confederation of provinces with a structure: The Central government, Muslim-majority provinces grouped together to form one group, and Bengal and Assam would form another. The worst feature of this plan was that the Union government was to have jurisdiction only for three subjects — foreign affairs, defence and communications.
When the Congress opposed this, the Viceroy dropped the idea of the interim government and Jinnah promptly withdrew his consent to the Cabinet Mission’s plan and called for Direct Action on August 16. Those who saw the gruesome days of August 1946 can never forget the anarchy that had been let loose in Bengal which was then under the administration of the Muslim League.
Jinnah’s intention was to show that united India could not work and it was being proved by him. It was when the formation of any orderly civil government appeared impossible that Patel became fully convinced that it was better to accept the Partition of Punjab and Bengal and save 80 per cent of India where the government could be strong and united. Gandhiji was dead against the idea of Partition and even suggested in all seriousness that the Viceroy should invite Jinnah to form the government for the whole country rather than divide India on communal lines. It was in this exceptionally critical political situation that Patel came to the bold decision of going against the wishes of Gandhiji and wrote to Jawaharlal Nehru recommending the acceptance of the Partition of Punjab and Bengal. He also wrote to Gandhiji that “it was a question of civil war or Partition”.
Patel’s second most important contribution to the making of modern India was the integration of the 565 princely states with the rest of India after Partition. In spite of Patel’s very poor health at that time, he exerted himself to the maximum extent possible to persuade all the major princely states to join the Indian Union, though very attractive promises were being made to certain princely states, like Jodhpur, personally by Jinnah for acceding to Pakistan. Eventually, all the states were integrated with the Indian Union except Hyderabad and Junagadh where police action was found necessary, and Kashmir where the ruler delayed a decision about accession till the Pakistan Army marched into Kashmir’s territory. No other Indian leader had the courage and vision to accomplish this task in so short a time after Partition.
The creation of All India Civil Services on the lines of the Indian Civil Service (ICS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) was the barinchild of Patel who was convinced that without this India would not be able to take up even the basic work of maintenance of law and order, leave alone developmental works. Nehru was personally against replicating the ICS and IPS in independent India as he had doubts about such services remaining loyal to political leaders in the Indian provinces, but Patel was convinced that this was indispensable for India’s progress. He pointed out to the Constituent Assembly the possible dangers to the unity of India if there was no all-India services. “The Union will go… you will not have a united India if you have not a good all-India service which is independent to speak out its mind”, he had said. He even hinted to the Constituent Assembly of his determination to resign as home minister if senior Congress leaders maintained their opposition to the All India Civil Services with constitutional safeguards. Eventually Patel achieved what he wanted and this proved to be a very effective instrument in preserving the unity of the nation and introducing appropriate development plans for its people.
I recall vividly the occasion when we as probationers in the IAS Training Academy at the Metcalf House, Delhi, had gone to meet Patel at his residence in 1949 to pay our respects. He looked very tired and was clearly in his last days. I remember his words of advice to us: “We have done our duty by creating a frame in which you can work with freedom and impartiality… From now on it is your job to do your best to the country”.
One fails to understand how one of the greatest administrators of modern India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, could be ignored by a gifted historian of the calibre and experience of Mr Guha. Yet the fact is that Patel’s name will always remain inscribed in the hearts of every Indian familiar with the history of our national unity as one of the greatest founders of modern India.

P.C. Alexander is a former governor of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra