"In a democratic set-up, Cabinet sanction was essential for police action. Patel faced a formidable task in overcoming Nehru's reluctance. At one of the meetings of the defence committee, of which Nehru was the chairman, there was so much bitterness that Sardar Patel walked out," Advani said, quoting from the book.
The then Home Secretary V P Menon later told a Rotary meeting that when he saw the Home Minister's seat vacant, he too walked out of the Cabinet meeting after five minutes, the BJP leader said, reading from the book.
