Nehru: The Pioneer of ‘EVM Hacking’
Yesterday, I thought I was making a harmless comment on X, when I said sarcastically that Nehru was the pioneer of ‘EVM Hacking’. I was only drawing everyone’s attention to the fact that Nehru was chosen to be the first Prime Minister of independent India, despite the presence of other leaders who were more qualified than Nehru.
This comment was followed by remarks such as “WhatsApp Graduate” and “Show some respect,” etc. I was astonished that even in today’s digital era, there are so many who blindly believe that Nehru and his family are God’s gift to India. It’s unbelievable that so many of them still do not have a clue, about our real history. I therefore felt compelled to make this post about how Nehru became the first Prime Minister of our nation.
Sardar Patel Vs Jawaharlal Nehru
By 1945, it was clear that no one was better qualified than Sardar Patel to be the first Prime Minister of the nation. He had proved his mettle over two decades, spanning the 1920s and 1930s. He had successfully handled various agitations such as the Nagpur Agitation (1923), Borsad Satyagraha (1923), Bardoli Satyagraha (1928), and the Dandi March and Salt Satyagraha (1930), to name a few. He also played a leadership role in the preparation of the Quit India Movement in 1942.
In terms of academics, like Nehru, Patel also studied in England. The difference between the two was that while Nehru’s father financed his education abroad, Patel financed his education through his earnings. Additionally, while Nehru managed to complete his education, passing with a lower second division, Patel graduated at the top of his class in the first division.
Professionally, while Nehru struggled and was dependent on his father for his survival, Sardar Patel was a successful lawyer. By 1946, it was clear that Sardar Patel was the obvious choice to be the first Prime Minister of independent India.
The Election
The Congress was gearing up to elect its president in 1946. According to the norm, whoever became Congress president would automatically lead the country. Following the procedure established over decades, the Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs) had to elect the president. There were 15 PCCs across the country at the time, and they had to send their nominations to the Congress Working Committee (CWC). Whoever received the most nominations would be elected as president.
The Run-Up to the Deadline
The deadline to submit the nominations was April 29, 1946. On April 20, M.K. Gandhi expressed his clear preference for Nehru to be the Congress president. It needs to be said that this can be construed as Gandhi’s influencing the election outcome.
Despite this, when the CWC met on April 29, it was found that 12 out of the 15 PCCs had nominated Patel, while three of them did not nominate anyone.
In summary, the scoreline read as follows:
Patel: 12
Nehru: 0
Election ‘Rigging’
Gandhi was surprised by this outcome and influenced a few CWC members to propose Nehru’s name. When Patel asked Gandhi about this development, Gandhi asked Patel to withdraw his nomination.
Patel, being the gentleman he was, promptly complied and withdrew his nomination. At this point, one might wonder how Nehru was able to usurp the president’s position when he knew clearly that there was someone else who was better qualified and had won the election. I’m unsure what to say about the moral integrity of such a person.
Why did Gandhi favor Nehru?
In the words of Durga Das, another popular figure of the time, Gandhi told him that while Patel was a far better negotiator and organizer, he felt that Jawaharlal Nehru was the “only Englishman in my camp.” He also told him that “Jawaharlal will not take second place.” Did Gandhi imply that Nehru would have caused a split and gone his own way if Patel had been elected president?
In another interaction, Gandhi is said to have confessed that while Patel could be persuaded to work with Nehru, he would not be able to get Nehru to work under Patel. I don’t think we need to say anything more about the patriotism of Patel and the lack of that trait in Nehru.
77 years of Suffering
Clearly, this mistake by Gandhi cost us dearly. If Patel had become the first Prime Minister of the country, I am certain that Jammu and Kashmir would still be undivided and united with independent India. Indeed, he passed away in 1950, but I am sure that he would have laid a strong foundation for the progress of the nation.
Unfortunately, we can’t change the past. The reality is that we continue to suffer because of this family, even after 77 years. It is time to end this suffering, and there is no better way to do this than through your valuable vote!
Source
- Nehru’s 97 Major Blunders, by Rajkumar Pauranik
- The Man Who Saved India by Hindol Sengupta
- Article in the Print: Jawaharlal Nehru’s election as first Prime Minister wasn’t unanimous
