Blog | Shivraj Patil: The 'Always Dapper' Home Minister, Brought Down By 26/11

The November 30, 2008 meeting of the Congress Working Committee looked like Caesar's Senate baying for blood. An embattled Sonia Gandhi, wearing several hats back then, such as the United Progressive Alliance's (UPA) chairperson, Congress President, National Advisory Council chairperson and head of the Congress Party in Parliament, had set the tone of the deliberation in the wake of the dastardly 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. In her opening remarks at the Congress Working Committee (CWC), she stressed that condolences or resolutions would not do. "It is time for action and some hard decisions," she said in a voice that reflected both anxiety and strain. Rahul Gandhi was more concerned about the response to the terror attack and kept talking about how the UPA government would tackle Pakistan.

The good doctor survived because there was nobody to take up his job. Dr Manmohan Singh offered to quit office soon after Sonia Gandhi called for hard decisions and action. On the other hand, Defence Minister AK Antony, his colleague in the External Affairs Ministry, Pranab Mukherjee, were criticised to the extent that both offered to step down. Finally, Dr Karan Singh rose to deliver the punch. Sitting next to Rahul Gandhi, he looked directly at Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and said, "Mr. Shivraj Patil, you have to go to save the party. There is no other way."

The 'Transponders' Jibe

Patil hurriedly wrote a resignation letter and carefully made two copies to hand them over to the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi. Manmohan Singh refused to take it in front of some 40-odd people. Prior to Karan Singh's blunt demand, Patil was heard saying that he had been considering putting tracking transponders on boats operating in the Arabian Sea. At that point, a Cabinet Minister was said to have whispered under his breath, "Look at him! He is at sea and he is talking about transponders."

Earlier in the day, Patil had reportedly received a feeler asking him to remove heads of the Intelligence Bureau, the Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) and a few paramilitary forces in order to showcase his 'decisiveness' and fix responsibility for the 26/11 terror attack. Patil, however, told the emissary that instead of acting against 'patriotic' officers, he would prefer to get sacked.

Patil was somewhat confident that Sonia Gandhi, who had brought him to the North Bloc despite his defeat in the 2004 Lok Sabha election, would not ask him to quit. Buzz in the Congress circles then was that Dr Karan Singh's blunt call, "Mr. Shivraj Patil, you have to go to save the party. There is no other way", was scripted and had blessings of the high command.

Interestingly, Patil, while leaving the fateful Congress Working Committee (CWC) on November 30, 2008, had assured everyone that he would not be quitting the Congress. The declaration made many wonder whether he was actually thinking about it.

A Sonia Favourite

In Congress circles, Patil's association with Sonia is often traced to early 1981, when a group of 50 MPs, led by a then-young Patil, had called on Indira Gandhi, asking for Rajiv Gandhi to don the political hat. That was the time Maneka Gandhi was trying to get a political role after Sanjay Gandhi's death.

Patil remained a Sonia favourite throughout UPA years. He was made the Union Home Minister despite losing his Lok Sabha seat and almost made it to the Rashtrapati Bhawan when the Congress's Left allies forced Sonia to look at another 'Patil' - Pratibha - for the President's post. 

A 'Well-Dressed' Coterie

Much later in life, Shivraj Patil would often wonder why there used to be so much focus on his clothes. Since childhood, he had believed in dressing impeccably and appropriately for all occasions. So, following the Mumbai attack, he merely followed that habit. He went and attended a lengthy party meeting in a cream-coloured bandhgala. By the time he would reach home and pick a fresh one - this time, black - horrible news of serial blasts splashed across television screens. A tired and worried Patil returned home and changed into a spotless white suit to accompany Sonia Gandhi to a city hospital.

Patil's aide used to insist there was nothing wrong or unusual about it. "It is just a habit. Some like to colour their hair. Some keep combing, some fiddle with their chin. If he did not change clothes, would the gravity of the situation have lessened?" asked a close associate.

Patil's supporters also included a long list of his UPA ministerial colleagues who were all quite touchy about their public appearances. Arjun Singh was known to have turned down requests from his Cabinet colleagues and partymen on days he would be unwell. Though no official reason was assigned, many in the Congress claimed that it had to do with Arjun's insistence on always looking "fit and fine". Another Union Minister who frequently travelled abroad was known to dye his hair jet-black even after entering his mid-sixties. When Natwar Singh was in the Cabinet, he was seldom seen without his spotless white suit, with a red handkerchief tucked into his breast pocket. Kamal Nath, Kapil Sibal, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Praful Patel were among some notable Patil colleagues known for their sartorial tastes.

Patil's ministerial and party colleagues say even in hours of grief and condolences, Patil would be careful about his attire. Once, when he was speaker of the Lok Sabha, a close associate of his passed away. The gathering was surprised to see Patil arrive to the hospital in a sharp, spotless dress at 5 am. A few hours later, when the body was moved home, he was dressed in a different suit, and the cremation site saw him in another fresh piece.

Will It, Create It

Patil was a devotee of Puttaparthi's Sathya Sai Baba, whose 'miraculous' powers are said to be based on the principle that if you will anything, you can create it. According to legend, Sai Baba himself remained apolitical. But countless politicians cutting across party lines are among his followers. Shivraj Patil's devotion to him was near total. "Patil believed that Sai Baba visits and blesses his house every day," a source told this correspondent. In an interview once, Patil himself recalled: "Baba helped me preside over the Lok Sabha for five years (1991-96). Whenever the House would get unruly, I would shut my eyes and think of Baba so that I did not lose my cool. Such thoughts of Baba would inevitably lead the House to order."

(Rasheed Kidwai is an author, columnist and conversation curator)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author