Upto the time of independence the multifaceted personality of Birla has been presented to the readers. The post-independence period was a bit different. He had already become an iconic figure and an industrial tycoon, a philanthropist, man of charity and a funding associate of political big wigs. And the greatest factor was that he had been close one of Mahatma Gandhi.
On political plane he was considered to be closer to Sardar Patel. Then Patel was holding the charges of Home ministry and Information and Broadcasting and was busy in the task of reorganisation of states. Patel was a crafty tactician and a political wizard. Often he used to consult G.D. Birla especially when the matter was related to economy. At the time of partition G.D. Birla had made valuable contribution in the determination of assets and liabilities of India and Pakistan to make it work in India’s favour. He offered his valuable advice on other matters also but he did not join politics actively. In this context his prominent acts can be summed up as under :
❑ At the time of the creation of Pakistan it was decided that assets and liabilities of two countries would be assessed and a fare division would be worked out. It was to be proportionate to land area, population and existing resources and assets.
❑ Birla helped in this task. Considering the disadvantages Pakistan had inherited a sum was determined to be given to it as compensation. Later, this amount was withhold upon seeing aggressive intentions of Pakistan in Kashmir and its plunder of Hindu assets in that country.
❑ In July, 1948 the proposals were accepted. Nehru and Patel praised the role of G.D. Birla in finalising assessments.
❑ Birla had apprised Sardar Patel of the petroleum needs of the country in the industrial sector.
❑ In 1948, two also discussed the proposed ‘Industrial Control Bill’ in detail. Birla gave his opinion on jute, steel and cotton sectors.
Nehru was strong advocate of Russian type socialist system under which private sector was to be brought under government control. The idea was to influence the sectors that could effect the economic system of the country. G.D. Birla did not agree with his line of thinking. He was not for total government control over private sectors. Birla thought public and private sectors both needed to work in tendem for the balanced growth of the country. He had studied foreign economies of the developed countries and given his report to Sardar Patel. Patel has consulted him in the matter of government control over coal industry.
Sardar Patel came from Gujarat. He wanted Birla to follow a two point long term industrial plan for the progress of that state. The aim was to upgrade the economy and the living standards of the people. Birla advised the level of education needed to be upgraded for a positive long term results. In 1948 an engineering institute as set up in Gujarat. It was called ‘Birla Vishwakarma College’. Mountbatons happily inaugurated it.
After independence in the task of the merger of princely states into the union Birla had provided remarkable assistance to Sardar Patel. Nizam of Hyderabad either wanted to join Pakistan or become a free nation. Patel acted strongly and through police action forced Hyderabad to join Indian union. G.D. Birla sent a congratulatory telegram to Sardar Patel—’By the grace of God you accomplished a difficult task. May God make you stronger to unify the country’.
Sardar Patel passes away
Although Nehru and Patel both belonged to Congress party, yet they had basic differences in the policy matters. Nehru was all regions man and was staunch secularist. But Sardar Patel had Hinduist band of mind and secretly desirous of taking the country on the Hindutva line. The two had serious differences over ‘Hindu Code Bill’ and ‘Privy Purses of Rajas-Maharajas’. There difference came out in open in 1950 when for the election of the Congress president Nehru fielded Acharya Kripalani as his candidate and Sardar Patel sponsored Purushottamdas Tandon. Purushottamdas Tandon won. But the upsurge of Sardar Patel following in Congress did not last long. On September 15, 1950 at 9.37 pm. Sardar Patel passed away in Birla’s Malabar Hill house. His son Dayabhai Patel and the daughter Maniben were present.
Ironically Gandhiji died at Birla House Delhi and Sardar Patel breathed his last at Birla’s Mumbai house.
Police controlled the crowd that had converged on the Birla residence upon hearing the demise of Sardar Patel. The people had jumped inside the premises by climbing boundary walls and the gate. They wanted to see their leader for the last time. A lot of Gujaratis used to live in Mumbai during those days. Nehru, Rajendra Prasad and Tandon came by plane to attend the last journey of the departed leader. They were ushered in with a great difficulty. The body of Sardar Patel was kept outside in the porch for the people who came to pay their respects.
After the departure of Sarder Patel the way became clear for Nehru followers to control the party. Nehru faithfuls started tightening clutches on the working committee. Many members resigned under pressure. Purushottam Das Tandon also resigned. Then miffed up Tandon rang up G.D. Birla asking him to declare his candidacy from Rajasthan for the coming Lok Sabha elections. By then Birla had understood the political scene and equations. He replied that he could win as a Congress candidate or an independent. The Congress leader could not form a consensus on his candidacy, so G.D. Birla did not accept the suggestion. For Lok Sabha he would find little time and then he was not keeping well healthwise either. He might have changed his mind had an invitation come for Jawaharlal Nehru. He kept in touch with Tandon followers but from a respectable distance. He was trying to forge a relationship with the new power centres.
G.D. Birla never supported Patel followers against Nehru. But he did want to work for the memorial of Sardar Patel just like he had done for Gandhiji. The Congress Working Committee and the government had done precious little in this direction. When Nehru was approached about the Patel memorial he did not show any enthusiasm. Patel followers raised the issue in Working Committee and it agreed to the suggestion that government must take positive steps considering the stellar role played by Sardar Patel in the post- independence period of India.
In May 8, 1951 Jawaharlal Nehru called a meeting of the captains of trade and industry to discuss the memorial for Sardar Patel. It was decided that a sum of 50 lacs be collected for ‘Sardar Patel Memorial Chest’ and use the fund for rural welfare. Birla was made the chairman of the fund raising committee of the industrialists. Birla collected the fund before the end of three year stipulated period. About the use of the fund there were two opinions. The Congress Working Committee was for rural welfare schemes like sinking wells and laying roads. The Patel admirers thought that it was the job of the government and fund be used to instal a grand statue of Sardar Patel at some important place of Delhi. Nehru was not agreeable to it. The issue was again raised in the Working Committee and the statue idea was approved. For it additional Rs. 10 lacs were raised. At last the statue was installed in the Parliament Street (Sansad Marg) at a square that is today known as Patel Chowk.
But Birla was not satisfied with it. He wanted the works of Sardar Patel told to the people through a biographical publication. In that direction Birla worked. The journalist D.V. Tahmnekar was engaged for the job. He used to live in London. Then, Nehru was a very tall figure. So, even the admirers of Patel did not provide the material they possessed on Sardar Patel for the book. About the lack of cooperation the writer revealed to G.D. Birla.
It is also true that when Birla was asked to reveal the details of the cooperation he had extended to Sardar Patel in various matters he too did not part with vital information. After a long wait the book came out in 1970. The forward was written by Lord Mountbaton and was dedicated to G.D. Birla.
Overall G.D. Birla was satisfied with the information the book provided and that book should keep the memories of the works of Sardar Patel alive.
