Independent India's first home minister rejected British ideas of Kashmir as he was anxious to end Pakistani occupation of the territory. And weeks before his death, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel rued the consequences the country faced for his not having been allowed to achieve that objective, according to an account just published.
"When we wanted to fight in Kashmir, he (prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru) began to interfere - you must not do this, must not fight here, must not shoot here. What will Sheikh (Mohammed Abdullah) feel'," Sardar Patel is quoted as having told a caller date in September 1950.
The result in the word of Sardar Patel as he was popularly known, was that "in Kashmir we are spending crores. It is a deficit State... We must go on subsidising it... Now how long India can bear this burden?"
This was on September 28, 1950, some ten weeks before he died on December 15, 1950. The caller was R K Pati1, a member of the then newly constituted Planning Commission. The conversation had turned to Sardar Patel's difference of opinion with Nehru on some of the issues of the day.
Patel's remarks were recorded by his daughter in a personal chronicle now translated from Gujarati into English and published in a 523-page book titled: Inside Story of Sardar Patel - The Diary Of Maniben Patel:1936-50."
Responsible for the states, Sardar Patel handled the Hyderabad case adroitly in September 1948 by sending Indian forces and effecting the Nizam's surrender within days, despite Nehru's "utterly soft" attitude. The diary contains references to Governor General Louis Mountbatten frequently writing to Nehru and both discussing matters over the telephone, Hyderabad approaching the United Nations and Sardar Patel threatening to resign unless troops were sent immediately.
"They wanted to do the same in Hyderabad (as in Kashmir)," Sardar Patel is quoted as saying, "But... I finished it".
India's "Iron Man" intended similarly to solve the problem arising out of the Pakistan-sponsored attack in October 1947 and the occupation of two-fifths of Kashmir.
Several entries in the diary reflect that Sardar Patel was anxious to evict the intruders from Kashmir. An October 1948 entry has Kashmiri leader Baxi Ghulam Mohammed - who later succeeded Sheikh Abdullah as chief minister - urging the home minister for a solution of the Kashmir problem the Hyderabad way.
Sardar Patel asked him to get in writing from Nehru and Sheikh Abdullah that "they will not interfere and will not interrupt military from entering anywhere." If he were given a free hand, as in Hyderabad, a solution would be found.
Though Sardar Patel was also minister-in-charge of states and deputy prime minister, the Kashmir problem was assigned to the ministry of external affairs which Nehru himself looked after.
Just a few days before, Nehru had written to his home minister that when the prime minister travelled abroad, external affairs were to be looked after by then law minister Gopalaswamy Ayyangar - prompting Sardar Patel to send in his resignation. But he was implored by Nehru not to do anything in haste and follow the advice given by Mahatma Gandhi before his assassination and sort matters out.
There is another reference seven months later to Baxi Ghulam Mohammed again beseeching the home minister on Kashmir.
According to the diary, Sardar Patel expressed his inability as he "does not command confidence of (PM)....When he goes out he leaves written instructions that Kashmir; external affairs be looked after by Gopalaswamy. How can (Bapu) then interfere?"
Maniben referred to her father throughout as Bapu - as distinct from Bapuji she used. for Mahatma Gandhi.
Critics have questioned Nehru's raising the Kashmir issue before the UN or promising a plebiscite, given the instrument of accession signed by Kashmir's Dogra ruler, Maharaja Hari Singh.
Sardar Patel was clear in his mind that Pakistan had committed aggression which must be fully vacated by throwing the invaders out and that the question is not going to be settled in the UN.
Mountbatten's suggestion at the outset had been to partition Kashmir, but it was turned down, according to the diary.
An entry in July 1949 refers to a reported effort by British High Commissioner Archibald Nye to secure some agreement about handing over Jammu to India and Patel's retort: "Is the fighting limited to that only. We want entire territory right from Pathankot and battle for.. Whole of Kashmir."
Another sore point was the manner in which Pakistan took its share of the Reserve Bank cash balance. Pakistan was to receive Rs 75 crore, of which Rs 20 crore was cleared and the rest was due.
The Pakistan-sponsored attack in Kashmir made matters different. The Union cabinet decided unanimously to disburse Rs 55 crore only after the settlement of the Kashmir issue.
Nehru declared in the constituent assembly : "We are not going to provide for sinews of war against us in Kashmir."
Sardar Patel wanted a settlement of Kashmir in relation to the amount and made it plain that the sum won't be given immediately.
Pakistani authorities approached Mountbatten who in turn told Mahatma Gandhi that it was immoral not to disburse the Rs 55 crore amount. Mahatma Gandhi undertook a fast.
According to, the diary, Sardar Patel was taken aback. 'He told Mahatma Gandhi that Mountbatten should have told him if there was anything dishonourable. "After meeting Bapuji (I) went to be viceroy (and demanded) that you said to Bapu it is dishonourable. You have let down your cabinet in this way, and (I) showed him all relevant papers. He then begged pardon".
Sardar Patel felt the outcome of giving Rs 55 crore to Pakistan was going to be disastrous. Nehru, notwithstanding his statement in the assembly, called it all pettifogging, the diary notes.
In a conversation with Devdas Gandhi recounted by Maniben, Sardar Patel recalled how he "told in the cabinet to sanction Rs 55 crore, but I did not continue further." He wrote to Mahatma Gandhi to relieve him.
In what turned out to be their last dialogue a few days later, Mahatma Gandhi told Sardar Patel to stay on in government for "Neither of you can be spared. Both should stay. When we meet tomorrow, we shall sort out these".
The same evening Mahatma Gandhi fell to an assassin's bullet.
An entry two years later has Sardar Patel firing Pakistani finance Minister Gulam Mohammed about the affair. "Kashmir settlement was to be made in relation to Rs 55 crore. In stead you (Pakistan authorities) approached Gandhiji and reported that Sardar refuses and took away Rs 55 crore, which resulted in Gandhiji's murder (exclaim) for which you are responsible. How can you be trusted (exclaim)".
The book has a foreword by the late Siddavanahalli Nijalingappa, the last president of the undivided Congress, who formed a private society in 1988 and published 15 volumes of "the collected works of Sardar Patel".
It describes Maniben Patel, who died in March 1990, as "One Of the foremost... Among women who effectively participated in India's freedom movement...".
I share the opinion of many others that but for her devoted care Sardar Patel would not have continued to live as long as he did, nor achieve what he did in India's service...".
"She was absolutely honest, keenly observed what happened when people came and met the Sardar, and how the Sardar dealt with the many problems that faced the nation.".
The diary is translated by U M Chokshi, a former deputy chief editor of Gazetteers, Gujarat. The book is edited by Dr P N Chopra and Dr Prabha Chopra, both of whom previously worked on the collected works of Sardar Patel.
It makes many references - often in passing - to well known differences between Nehru and Patel over issues such as Kashmir and Hyderabad, over foreign Policy, particularly Tibet, and over Hindu-Muslim problems, especially those of refugees being driven out of then East Pakistan, now Bangladesh.
Some entries appear perfunctory.
One on October 22, 1947, the day Pakistani tribesman invaded Kashmir, makes
no direct reference to the territory. The entry next day - one of the shortest
- says: "5 pm - Bapu went for cabinet meeting".