Cong hates Gujaratis' is a canard: Who made the Mahatma its leader?

Recently during a rally in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that Gujarat has always been a thorn in the eyes for the Nehru-Gandhi family which “hates Gujaratis”. He gave the examples of Sardar Patel and Morarji Desai to elaborate his wild allegation. Unfortunately, Mr Modi, like others in the BJP, has only been taught the RSS version of the history, which is not only distorted but as the statement of its leaders on Taj Mahal and Tipu Sultan testify, illogical and ridiculous as well.

Any historian would tell you that both Nehru and Patel, despite their differences, had tremendous respect and affection for each other. Before he submitted his list of Cabinet ministers as India’s first PM to the then Viceroy (later Governor General) Mountbatten, Nehru wrote to Patel inviting him to join his Cabinet: “This writing is somewhat superfluous because you are the strongest pillar of the Cabinet.” The Sardar immediately wrote back: “My services will be at your disposal, I hope, for the rest of my life and you will have unquestioned loyalty and devotion from me in the cause for which no man in India has sacrificed as much as you have done.”

Patel died on December 15, 1950, a little over three years after he had become the deputy prime minister and home minister. In a touching tribute Nehru wrote: “In failing health he continued, without rest or respite, his service of India. When freedom came at last to India, it was inevitable that he should take an outstanding part in the service of free India. It was fortunate for India that Sardar Patel should have had this opportunity to put the coping-stone to his life’s labour. He had, as it now appears, only a little more than three years to give in that service, and these years were periods of great turmoil and conflict in India and the world and, for him personally, of increasing ill-health and physical weakness. Yet, his achievements during this period will be recorded in India’s history with pride and admiration. He concentrated his attention on great task of unifying the country and maintaining its stability at a time when disruptive forces were at work. In particular, his genius was demonstrated in the way he handled the difficult and complicated problem of the old Indian states. He fixed his goal, a united and strong India, and set about to achieve it with skill and determination... It is for the people of the country to follow his shining example, his devotion to duty, his steadfastness, his sense of discipline, and thus realise it was for a free, strong and prosperous India for which he laboured.”

If Patel did not become Prime Minister you cannot blame Nehru. The choice was made by Mahatma Gandhi, and the Father of the Nation knew what he was doing. Nehru was chosen, besides other factors, because he was the most popular leader of the Congress amongst the Indian masses and internationally. According to Gandhi’s grandson, Rajmohan Gandhi, a historian of repute: “In ‘nominating’ Jawaharlal Nehru, Gandhi did not override public opinion. Neither can it be said that he allowed personal considerations to override national ones. For representing and uniting Indians of all ages, classes and religions, Jawaharlal seemed more suitable than Vallabhai.” Patel himself agreed with the Mahatma’s decision. In November 1948, he wrote: “Mahatma Gandhi named Pandit Nehru as his heir and successor. Since Gandhiji’s death we have realised that our leader’s judgment was correct.”

Another eminent Gujarati from Saurashtra, U.N. Dhebar, succeeded Nehru as Congress president in mid-50s and remained president of the Indian National Congress for five consecutive terms, till 1958. As far as Morarji Desai is concerned, despite being a “rightist” he was immensely liked by Nehru for his high integrity and administrative skills. It was Nehru who made him his finance minister for at least six consecutive years and Indira Gandhi who gave him the same portfolio and deputy prime ministership in 1967. That they fell apart for ideological and other reasons is a different story. Later, as Prime Minister when Morarji Desai lost his government it was due to the failure of the Jan Sangh group in the Janata Party to sever their links with the RSS.

If the Congress had hatred for Gujaratis, Mahatma Gandhi wouldn’t have been the Father of the Nation. It was the Congress that made the Mahatma its “Supreme Commander” in the freedom struggle. From 1920 to 1948, the Congress was nothing but Gandhi Congress in which all major decisions, from non-cooperation movement to transfer of power, were taken by the Mahatma himself. Yes, there was one Gujarati for whom the Congress had intense dislike. His name was Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The rest is history.

The writer is an ex-Army officer and a former member of the National Commission for Minorities