Vallabhbhai used to fully concentrate on Government actions. He knows very well that what the government speaks and what it does. There was a lot of difference between its saying and action. The government hated the people of India. Whatever the agreement she does it is only because of helplessness. Hence Vallabhbhai never trusted the government.
The tyranny of the British was increasing day by day. As a result the conditions of the country became even worse. At that time Gandhiji was in England for the Round Table Conference. Hence the responsibility to tackle the emerging situations was wholly on the shoulders of Vallabhbhai. He sent a telegram to Gandhiji and made him know, the condition of the nation.
As anticipated, nothing came out of the Round Table Conference. Gandhiji returned to India on 28th December 1931 and found that repressive measures had been started in his absence. Both Gandhiji and Vallabhbhai were arrested in Bombay on 4th January 1932 and both were lodged together in Yervada Jail.
Vallabhbhai and Gandhiji remained together in Yervada jail for 16 months from the 4th of January 1932 to 8th May 1933. Vallabhbhai served Gandhiji like a true disciple. He would prepare his datan, lemon and honey water and do other odd jobs for him. He also kept him cheerful by his jokes and through at times caustic remarks. Vallabhbhai started learning Sanskrit and spinning in jail and soon mastered them.
Gandhiji was released on 8th May 1933, the day he commenced his fast. On that very day he issued a statement in which, referring to Vallabhbhai, he said—“One of the greatest joys of my life was that I had an opportunity of staying in prison with the Sardar. I knew of his invincible courage and his burning love for the country, but never before had I the good fortune of spending to much time with him as I was able to do during these 16 months. His affection and love overwhelmed me and reminded me of my dear mother. I would never have imagined that he possessed such qualities of material affection. If I was in the slightest degree indisposed he would be immediately by my side, and would pay personal attention to the smallest of my needs.
After 16 months Vallabhbhai was transformed to Nasik Jail from Yervada. There he spent one year. When he was in jail he lost his mother in November 1932 and later his elder brother Vithalbhai Patel in October 1933. Vithalbhai had died in Switzerland where he had gone for treatment. Before his death he had expressed his desire that his funeral rites be performed by his brother Vallabhbhai. His body was brought to Bombay and the government offered to release Vallabhbhai for two days if he promised not to take part in politics. But Vallabhbhai was too self-respecting to agree to conditional release. So the last rites were performed by Vallabhbhai’s son Dahyabhai Patel.
In August 1932, Government has announced the Communal Award, leading to much protest by Indian leaders. Gandhiji was strongly against this award and shows his anger by fast and with the help of government signed Poona Pact. Then a White Paper with detailed constitutional proposals for the future of India’s political development had been published on 15th March 1933.
During these years, there was a certain amount of dissatisfaction among Congress leaders with existing Congress policy. The British referred to it as a ‘drift’ and regarded it as very suitable for their purposes. Apart from disagreement on the continuance of civil disobedience, the constitutional reforms, communal electorates and other specialize issues, Congressmen had accentuated their ideological differences. With Gandhiji in jail along with his action man Vallabhbhai, things had gone roughly for Congress as an organisation. Dissensions had deepened and Gandhiji seemed to have lost his grip over many moderates and extremists alike. He shouldered a heavy responsibility in directing and continuing civil disobedience from within the jail while other leaders outside had different plans for Congress. Events that were happening outside dismayed Gandhiji. Vallabhbhai on the other hand seemed to anticipate them and rebuked Gandhiji repeatedly for shutting his eyes to the reality and for undertaking fasts each time when something went against his wishes.
When Vallabhbhai was in jail a conference was held at Delhi by the Congress leaders who favoured council-entry under the chairmanship of Dr. Ansari. Gandhiji did not want to stand in their way and issued a statement on 7th April 1934 suspending civil disobedience movement. Once the movement was suspended the government gave up repressive measures and released all political prisoners and also lifted the ban on the Congress.
At the Congress session Gandhiji announced his decision to resign from the Congress. This decision of Gandhiji came as a shock to all the Congress workers. C. Rajagopalachari, Abul Kalam Azad and others appealed to Gandhiji to reconsider his decision. Surprisingly, when all were appealing to Gandhiji not to leave the Congress, Vallabhbhai was the only person who supported his decision. On hearing him C. Rajagopalachari remarked, ‘‘Gandhiji has many blind followers who will not see anything with their own eyes but only with his. But Sardar is a class by himself on a blind follower. His eyes are clear and bright. He can see everything but he deliberate to see only with the Gandhiji’s eyes.’’
Elections were due and Congress had to formulate a policy for the purpose. Once the Congress had decided to contest the elections a parliamentary sub-committee was set up with Sardar Vallabhbhai as Chairman and Rajendra Prasad and Maulana Azad as members. Vallabhbhai was entrusted with the task of selecting the right candidates for the ensuing elections. This he did without fear and favour. He disappointed many personal friends and became very unpopular. He was charged with being a fascist, a Hitler and even a super Hitler. But Vallabhbhai remained undaunted by these attacks. He simply explained that he had laid down some critics and that they would be scrupulously adhered to.
Vallabhbhai also organised a campaign to educate the voters in the value of the vote. The prestige of the Congress was at stake. The government felt that Congressmen were no longer popular with the masses. Vallabhbhai was confident of his state—Gujarat. So he devoted all his time and energy to other states. And the results of the 1937 elections were an eye opener. The Congress had swept the polls. In five out of eleven provinces—Madras, Bihar, Central Provinces, United Provinces and Orissa—the Congress won an absolute majority. In four states i.e. NWFP, Bombay, Bengal and Assam it was the largest single party. Only in Punjab and Sind was it in a minority.
