Michael Brecher in his biography of Nehru is equally blunt: ‘Patel was a staunch Hindu by upbringing and conviction. He never really trusted the Muslims and supported the extremist Hindu Mahasabha view of the ‘natural right of the Hindus to rule India.’ How did Nehru ever imagine that an India partitioned on Hindu–Muslim lines would, somehow, remain secular? Because that is what would make him feel good about himself? Such self delusion.
