News India Patel was the first to agree to partition, says Chidambaram

Patel was the first to agree to partition, says Chidambaram

New Delhi: Joining debate with BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi over partition, Finance Minister P Chidambaram today quoted excerpts from Maulana Abul Kalam Azad's book to say that Sardar Patel had agreed to the



Now that Sardar Patel and even Jawaharlal Nehru had become supporters of partition, Gandhiji remained my only hope.

"...But when I met Gandhiji again, I received the greatest shock of my life, for I found that he too had changed. He was still not openly in favour of partition but he no longer spoke so vehemently against it. What surprised and shocked me even more was that he began to repeat the arguments which Sardar Patel had already used. For over two hours I pleaded with him but could make no impression on him."

Finally, Gandhi also agreed to the idea of partition, the resolution was passed by the AICC with 29 members for it and 15 against, Azad wrote adding, "even Gandhiji's appeal could not persuade more members to vote for the partition of the country!"

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