Sardar Patel always held national interest supreme: historian Rizwan Kadri writes

On Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 72nd death anniversary, this is a good time to recall some not-so-well known facts about the first Home Minister of India.

Sardar Patel was instrumental in the accession of princely states into India. (File Photo)

5 min readAhmedabadDec 16, 2022 07:20 AM IST First published on: Dec 15, 2022 at 06:22 PM IST

Today (December 15), as a grateful nation remembers Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 72nd death anniversary, it is a good time to recall some not-so-well-known facts about the first Home Minister of India. These facts, contained in some letters written by Patel that are now part of the National Archives of India, illustrate how he always placed the national interest ahead of his personal preferences.

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Choosing between an old aide and the national interest

Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution of India, was made part of the Constituent Assembly on the insistence of Sardar Patel.

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In 1946, Dr Ambedkar’s term, who had been elected from Bengal, was about to end. With the impending division of Bengal, it was not possible for him to get re-elected from this seat. But the Constituent Assembly needed Babasaheb.

Sardar Patel had first-hand experience of Dr Ambedkar’s efficiency and his contribution to the various committees of the Constituent Assembly. He was also very well aware of his long-term vision and his dedication, even though he did not agree with Dr Ambedkar on certain issues.

At that time, a seat in the Constituent Assembly from the Bombay area was vacant. A formidable candidate for that seat was Dadasaheb GV Mavalankar, who had been with Sardar for three decades — and it seemed natural that he would get Sardar’s support. Dadasaheb was the president of the Central Legislative Assembly at the time.

Sardar was faced with a predicament. On the one hand was his staunch supporter Dadasaheb, and on the other was the national interest — which dictated that he find a way to get Dr Ambedkar into the Constituent Assembly. Patel put aside his ideological differences with Dr Ambedkar, and decided to put the supreme national interest above everything else. He announced his full support for the candidature of Babasaheb.

Sardar’s letters to Mavalankar

In a letter written on July 1, 1947, Sardar asked Dadasaheb Mavalankar — who would go on to become Speaker of India’s first Parliament — to step aside and make way for Dr Ambedkar to be elected to the Constituent Assembly from the Bombay seat.

Sardar wrote: “Dr Ambedkar’s election requires earlier action, and as there is only one vacancy for the present, we have asked him to send his form today. He has not been elected from Bengal, and all people here feel that his attitude has changed and he has been a useful member in the Committee. In another vacancy which is going to occur after a short time, we will arrange for your election. In my case, you are not wanted in the Constituent Assembly before August 15th”.

Letter from Patel to Mavalankar dated July 1, 1947 (Via National Archives).

Another letter he wrote to Dadasaheb dated July 3, 1947, reads: “…There is only one vacancy at present, and Dr Ambedkar has been asked to fill his nomination for that. He has become a very useful Member in the Committee and everybody wants him now. In your case, there is no hurry, as you are not to be called upon to preside over the Constituent Assembly in its capacity as a Legislative Assembly before the 15th August. By that time, arrangements will be made for your election”.

Letter from Patel to Mavalankar, dated July 3, 1947 (Via National Archives)

And this was how Dr Ambedkar became a part of the Constituent Assembly and the architect of our Constitution.

Sardar Patel did not carry grudges

The other instance of how Sardar placed national interest before everything else, is when he was president of the Ahmedabad Municipality. He wanted Morarji Desai as the chief officer of the Municipality and when Ishwarlal Bhagat was elected instead, Sardar resigned from his position as president of the municipality on April 13, 1928.

Two decades later, Kanhaiyalal Munshi, the Agent-General of India in Hyderabad State, wanted a strong assistant to help him with what had become a very difficult situation for the nascent Indian state. Sardar Patel sent Ishwarlal Bhagat to assist KM Munshi. These instances go to show how concerned Sardar was for national interest.

The writer is an associate professor of History at Shree Swaminarayan Arts College Ahmedabad, and has conducted extensive research on Sardar Patel, writing the book “Sardar Patel: Ek Sinhpurush” on his life.