“Nehru Didn't Want Patel In Cabinet": S Jaishankar Cites VP Menon's Biography

Jaishankar said in a series of tweets that Nehru omitted Patel from the initial Cabinet list and it was a subject for much debate.

S Jaishankar was speaking at a session of World Economic Forum in New Delhi. (Videograb/ Twitter)

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, on Wednesday, said citing a book that the first Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru did not want Sardar Patel in his Cabinet in 1947. He said he learnt about it from VP Menon's autobiography. Jaishankar said in a series of tweets that Nehru omitted Patel from the initial Cabinet list and it was a subject for much debate. "Released an absorbing biography of VP Menon by @narayani_basu. Sharp contrast between Patel's Menon and Nehru's Menon. Much awaited justice done to a truly historical figure," the external affairs minister said. "Learnt from the book that Nehru did not want Patel in the Cabinet in 1947 and omitted him from the initial Cabinet list. Clearly, a subject for much debate. Noted that the author stood her ground on this revelation," Jaishankar tweeted. The Minister stressed that exercise of writing history for politics in the past needs honest treatment. "Exercise of writing history for politics in the past needs honest treatment. "When Sardar died, a deliberate campaign was begun to efface his memory. I know this because I have seen it, and at times, I fell victim to it myself. " So says VP Menon," he said in the tweet.

Exercise of writing history for politics in the past needs honest treatment. "When Sardar died, a deliberate campaign was begun to efface his memory. I know this, because I have seen it, and at times, I fell victim to it myself. " So says VP Menon. pic.twitter.com/UuQ2YbYxyS

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 12, 2020

Learnt from the book that Nehru did not want Patel in the Cabinet in 1947 and omitted him from the initial Cabinet list. Clearly, a subject for much debate. Noted that the author stood her ground on this revelation. pic.twitter.com/FelAMUZxFL

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 12, 2020

Released an absorbing biography of VP Menon by @narayani_basu. Sharp contrast between Patel's Menon and Nehru's Menon. Much awaited justice done to a truly historical figure. pic.twitter.com/SrCBMtuEMx

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 12, 2020

VP Menon, a senior civil servant, who worked closely with India's first Home Minister Sardar Patel