Nehru did not want Patel in Cabinet in 1947, says EAM Jaishankar citing book

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday said that he got to know from VP Menon's autobiography that first Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru did not want Sardar Patel in his Cabinet in 1947.

Jaishakar 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," EAM 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," the Union Minister said.

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," tweeted EAM.

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