The second part of a staunch disciple of Mahatama Gandhi is also begin with the same question whose name reverberates in the mind of the Hindu communalist to swear by other then Shivaji Maharaj and Swami Vivekanand certainly it's of Sardar Patel.
This has already been mentioned in the first part of said write up that Rafiq Zakaria the author of a book having a title COMMUNAL RAGE IN SECULAR INDIA , met in person with Sardar Patel at Birla House, Bombay ( today's Mumbai ) on May 19, in 1950 and discussed with him Hindu-Muslim problem. Let us discuss what Sardar Patel had advice him? According to Zakaria, Patel ji had advice him that he should impress upon his young co- religionists the need to get rid of the barriers that Jinnah and the Muslim League had built in dividing the two communities. But our question is how Hindu communalists had compare ideologically Sardar Patel with Shiva Ji Maharaj and Swami Vivekananad? Zakaria further wrote that Patel ji asked him to work for creating “ mutual trust between Hindu and Muslims which alone could ensure them peace and prosperity”. Here, question arises that had Patel ji been a man of communal thinking he would have not advice the author to, ' create peace and prosperity'. This is also true that during the freedom struggle no one ever accused him of any kind of communal bias. Patel ji ever treated Hindu and Muslim alike. Yes, indeed Sardar Patel changed his attitude after the rise of the Muslim League in 1937 under the leadership of Jinnah. He also began to doubt the bonafides of the Muslims; at that stage Patel ji felt that they had little interest in uniting with Hindus. In that way during 1940 his attitude towards Muslims became hardened. So much so Patel ji might have been angry against the Muslims for their part in Partition but he was not only calm but almost patronizing and without the least rancour said Zakria the author. Patel ji words had a deep impact on him. With this the author came back more hopeful about the future of Indian Muslims. However, there was a sea change in Sardar's attitude when Jinnah propagated his Two-Nation theory and demanded a separate homeland for the Muslims. Yes, such response of the Muslims to Jinnah certainly up set the Sardar . His growing popularity among them disheartened him. Here he openly accused them of damaging the fabric of communal harmony which Gandhiji had so assiduously built. The subsequent events, leading to Partition, confirmed in him this conviction. Patel believed in the rough and tumbled of politics; constitutional niceties bored him; prolonged negotiations with the Muslim League irritated him. Jinnah's constant attacks on the Congress, describing it as a fascist Hindu organization, and his emphasis on Hindu-Muslim differences in every walk of their lives, infuriated him. Further, Jinnah's tactics shocked him. Patel ji also confused about it that how Maulana Azad, so deeply steeped in Islam, was unable to counter the influence of a man who( Jinnnah) was not even a practicing Muslim and who openly defied the canons and rituals of his religion. Patel ji also could not understand that how the Muslims followed Jinnah instead of Maulana Azad! This also upset him deeply.
Though it is not easy to describe all the political discussions, differences and events which might have taken place between Patel- Gandhi ji and other the then political leaders yet we must understand Sardar and his ideology and attitude.
The Sardar was no less miserable than Gandhiji at the brutal and inhuman happenings in the wake of Partition; at first he had felt that it was best to cut off a diseased limb; but subsequently he realized that in the process the body itself had got permanently deformed. The author further mentioned that Patel afterward realized that cure had proved worse than disease.
