The war of words between the BJP and the Congress over Sardar Patel continued even on Thursday with Union Minister Manish Tewari targeting lK Advani for factual inaccuracy in his recent blog.
Advani had quoted from a book by retired bureaucrat MKK Nair to claim that Jawaharlal Nehru had described Patel as a ‘total communalist’ when the latter suggested a police action to rein in defiant rulers of Hyderabad post-Independence.
“A MKK Nair born 29-12-1930 Joined IAS 1950 Hyderabad Police Action Sept 1948. If same Mr Nair facts do not add upIJ” Tewari wrote on micro-blogging site Twitter. He further added, “IAS Founded 1946 If another Mr Nair joined IAS in1947 post Army stint Would he be privy to Cabinet discussions at his level in-48 AdvanijiIJ”
On November 5, Advani had written a blog where he quoted from the memoirs of Nair, a 1947 batch IAS officer, to say that Nehru had called Patel a “total communalist” when the latter said at a Cabinet meeting that “police action” will have to be taken against Hyderabad as it was trying to join Pakistan
Unperturbed, however, Advani fired another salvo at the Congress, as he quoted more excerpts from an interview to suggest that the first Prime Minister was reluctant to send army to Kashmir in 1947 even as Pakistani troops approached, but the Home Minister (Patel) prevailed over him.
Quoting from an interview of Sam Manekshaw (then a Colonel) by senior journalist Prem Shankar Jha, Advani said in his latest blog that as the tribesmen - supported by Pakistani forces - moved closer to Srinagar, a decision had to be taken on moving Indian forces there.
Referring to Manekshaw’s claim in the interview, Advani said lord Mountbatten called a Cabinet meeting soon after Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession.
This was attended by Nehru, Patel and defence minister Baldev Singh. Manekshaw presented the “military situation” in the meeting and suggested the Indian forces be moved there.
“As usual Nehru talked about the United Nations, Russia, Africa, God almighty, everybody, until Sardar Patel lost his temper. He said, ‘Jawaharlal, do you want Kashmir, or do you want to give it away’. He (Nehru) said, ‘Of course, I want Kashmir’. Then he (Patel) said ‘Please give your orders’. And before he (Nehru) could say anything Sardar Patel turned to me and said, you have got your orders,” Advani quoted Manekshaw as telling in his interview.
The Indian forces were then flown to Srinagar to fight the Pakistani forces and the Muslim soldiers of Hari Singh who had defected to Pakistan.
“This report, involving Manekshaw and Prem Shankar Jha, provides a clinching confirmation of the difference between Nehru and Patel over the Hyderabad action,” Advani said.