Vithalbhai Patel

Vithalbhai Patel (1873 – 22 October 1933) was an Indian legislator and political leader, co-founder of the Swaraj Party and elder brother of Sardar Patel.

Early life

Born in Nadiad, in the Indian state of Gujarat, Vithalbhai Jhaverbhai Patel was the third of five Patel brothers, four years elder to Vallabhbhai Patel, raised in the village of Karamsad. Vithalbhai educated himself in Nadiad and in Bombay, and worked as a pleader (a junior lawyer) in the courts of Godhra and Borsad. At a very young age, he was married to a girl from another village, Diwaliba.

His younger brother, Vallabhbhai Patel, had similarly studied by himself and worked as a pleader. Studying in England was a dream for both men. Vallabhbhai had saved enough money and ordered his passport and travel tickets, when the postman delivered them to Vithalbhai, it having been addressed to a Mr. V.J. Patel, Pleader. Vithalbhai insisted on traveling on those documents actually meant for Vallabhbhai, pointing out that it would be socially criticized that an older brother followed the lead of the younger. Respecting his brother despite the obvious cruelty of fate on his own hard work, Vallabhbhai allowed him to proceed to England, and even paid for his stay.

Vithalbhai entered the Middle Temple Inn in London, and completed the 36-month course in 30, emerging at the top of his class. Returning to Gujarat in 1913, Vithalbhai became an important barrister in the courts of Bombay and Ahmedabad. However, his wife died in 1915, and he remained a widower.

Political career

Although never truly accepting the philosophy and leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, Patel joined the Congress and the struggle for freedom. He had no regional base of support, yet he was an influential leader who expanded the struggle through fiery speeches and articles published. When Mahatma Gandhi aborted the struggle in 1922 following theChauri Chaura incident, Patel left the Congress to form the Swaraj Party with Chittaranjan Das and Motilal Nehru, which would seek to foil the Raj by sabotaging the government after gaining entry in the councils. The party only succeeded in dividing the Congress and finally itself, but Patel and others were important voices who rebelled against the leadership of Gandhi when the nation anguished over the abortion of the Non-Cooperation Movement

Patel won a seat on the Bombay Legislative Council, a body with no real functions. Although failing to achieve anything concrete in terms of the fight for national independence, self-government or public welfare, Patel grew popular and respected by his oratorical and witty mastery and belittling of the Raj's officials, winning many a battle of wit, which bore little overall significance. In 1923 he was elected to the Central Legislative Assembly, a chamber of elected and appointed Indian and British representatives with limited legislative powers, and in 1925 became the Assembly's president, or speaker.

As the President of the Assembly, Patel laid down the practices and procedures for the business of the Assembly. In 1928, he created a separate office for the Assembly, independent of the administration of the Government of India. He established the convention of neutrality of the President in debates, except to use a casting vote in favour of thestatus quo.

Last years

In 1929, supporters of the government of India tried to have Patel removed as president of the Imperial Legislative Assembly, but were thwarted by the Viceroy, Lord Irwin, who at the time was trying to win over radical nationalists. He failed to do so, which led to Gandhi's launching of the civil disobedience movement in 1930, and Patel resigned from the Legislative Assembly in sympathy with this movement. He rejoined the Congress upon the declaration of Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence), and was subsequently imprisoned, but with his health deteriorating, he was released from prison in 1931 and went to Europe for medical treatment.

Patel gave up the Congress after the end of the Salt Satyagraha, became a fierce critic of Gandhi and a strong ally of Subhas Chandra Bose. Bose had been released in 1933 from the Bhowali Sanitorium in UP for treatment in Europe-Vienna and Vithalbhai had also gone to Vienna for treatment. As both these great thinkers had similar political views, they came nearer to each other. They in fact in a joint statement stated, inter alia, "...as a political leader Mahatma Gandhi has failed.... and a change of leadership is necessary..."

Bose and Patel traveled across Europe, gathering funds and political support - among others, they met Éamon de Valera, President of Ireland. While Bose's health improved, Patel's illness worsened. However,impressed by the work of Subhas and aware that he had no private means nor would he receive any "penny" from the Congress for his political work, he willed the residual part of his property amounting to Rs.1,20,000/- to Subhas for his political work on Oct 2, 1933 and died Geneva, Switzerland, on 22 October 1933 and was cremated in Bombay on 10 November.

Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel wanted Subhas to use the money for political activities decided by the Congress, and when he refused, there was a litigation in Bombay High Court. The English judges of the High Court felt that the term "Political Upliftment of India" was too vague a term and deprived Bose of the proceeds. Sardar Patel kept a neutral attitude during the whole affair, but in his official biography published later by Navajivan Press, Ahmedabad the very authenticity of the will was questioned.

Not long after Bose reached Vienna. Gandhi called off the Civil Disobedience Movement, much to the dismay of Bose and Patel . They issued "The Bose-Patel manifesto" from Vienna in May 1933 which stated

Patel  was severely ill but he was glad to have met the younger man and to feel that his work would be carried forth. He is reported to have said of Bose at this time 

For Bose this was a very positive relationship with one of the father figures of the Swarajists and Congress., by all accounts much less ambiguous , though short lived , than his relationship to any Congress seniors after the death of Das.And for Patel there is little doubt that he saw Bose as the young man or one of the young men who would lead Indiato freedom as the old men - including Gandhi  nad himself  - stepped aside.