रविकर भाई कुंडलिकार
कम्युनल नेहरू कहें, जब निजाम-संताप |
रिश्ते में लगने लगे, लौह-पुरुष तब बाप |
लौह-पुरुष तब बाप, आज अडवाणी बोले |
कांग्रेसी खुरपेंच, विरासत खा हिचकोले |
छद्म धर्म निरपेक्ष, वसूले अब भी किश्तें |
छद्म धर्म निरपेक्ष, वसूले अब भी किश्तें |
लेकिन आज पटेल, संघ के लिए फ़रिश्ते ||
Another controversy has been sparked by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over India's first home
minister Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, who was was also known as the "Iron Man of India". Senior
BJP leader LK Advani on Tuesday said quoting a book that former prime minister Jawaharlal
Nehru called Sardar Patel a "total communalist" when the latter suggested that army be sent to
take over a defiant Hyderabad after Independence. In his latest blog posting, Advani has
referred to extracts of a book - "The Story of an Era Told without Ill Will" by MKK Nair which
deals with the "sharp exchange" between Nehru and Patel in a Cabinet meeting before "police
action" against Hyderabad. Nehru called Sardar Patel 'total communalist', says Advani The
Nizam, who wanted to accede to Pakistan, had sent an emissary to the neighbouring country
and transferred a huge sum of money to the government there. The Nizam's officials were
reportedly heaping atrocities on locals. "At a cabinet meeting, Patel had described these
things and demanded that army be sent to end the terror-regime in Hyderabad. Nehru who
usually spoke calmly, peacefully and with international etiquette, spoke losing his composure,
'You are a total communalist. I will never accept your recommendation... "Patel remained
unperturbed but left the room with his papers," Advani says, quoting from Nair's book. The BJP
has of late been trying to appropriate Sardar Patel as a leader close to the Hindutva ideology.
On Patel's 138th anniversary on October 31, Advani had heaped praise on India's first home
minister at the inauguration of a project to build a 182 metre tall statue- the tallest in the world-
of the leader. Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who is behind this endeavour, said India
needs Patel's secularism which united people and not the "votebank secularism" that is being
practiced. Both Advani and Modi have sought to fashion themselves as inheritors of Patel's
legacy. BJP has also alleged that Sardar Patel contribution was never hailed by the Congress
and that it only eulogised the Nehru-Gandhi family. Advani says then Governor General Rajaji
prevailed over Nehru to send the army to Hyderabad. As the situation continued to worsen,
Rajaji called Nehru and Patel to Rashtrapati Bhawan to discuss the issue. Meanwhile, the army
was kept battle-ready. During his meeting with Nehru and Patel, Rajaji used a letter from the
British High Commissioner protesting against the rape of 70-year-old nuns of a convent two
days earlier by Razakars of Hyderabad. VP Menon, a bureaucrat and close aide of Patel, had
given this letter to Rajaji before the meeting. "Rajaji in his typical style described the situation in
Hyderabad. He felt that, to safeguard India's reputation, a decision should not be delayed any
longer. Nehru was concerned about international repercussions. Rajaji then played his trump
card - the letter from the British High Commissioner. "Nehru read it. His face turned red... Anger
choked his words.He shot out of his chair, slammed his fist on the table and cried out, 'Let's not
waste a moment. We'll teach them a lesson'. Rajaji immediately told Menon to inform the
Commander in-Chief to proceed according to the plan," Advani said, quoting from the book.
Nehru called Sardar Patel 'total communalist', says Advani
