S. B. Patel
Encyclopedia
Shivabhai Bhailalbhai Patel, commonly known as S.B. Patel, was a London
trained barrister
, who arrived in Fiji
, from India, on 24 December 1927. He was a man of calm and philosophical nature and had considerable influence on Fiji politics
, always working behind the scenes. Even the Government
of Fiji used him as a channel of communication with Fiji Indian leadership.
He was born in the Kheda
district of Gujarat in India
and had worked with Gandhi when he initiated satyagraha in Kaira District, in 1918, to secure suspension of revenue assessment on failure of crops, then went to Rangoon and London
. His decision to come to Fiji was the result of Dr Hamilton Beattie's correspondence with Henry S. L. Polak regarding the problems of the Fiji Indians. Polak suggested that Patel go to Fiji to practise law and help organise the Indian community. He was reluctant at first, but at Gandhi's urging agreed to come to Fiji. While studying in London he met A.D. Patel
and is credited with being responsible for getting him to come to Fiji.
On his arrival in Fiji, he had first-hand experience with the division among Fiji Indians when he was welcomed by two rival groups at Suva
wharf, one led by Beattie and the other by Vishnu Deo
. It was the mediation of S.B. Patel which led to the merger of the two rival organisations, each called Fiji Indian National Congress
, to form a single national organisation in 1929.
He, together with A.D. Patel and Vishnu Deo
planned tactics which led to Vishnu Deo moving a motion calling for common roll. S.B. Patel was actually present in the public gallery as Vishnu Deo moved the historic motion. After the walkout by Indian members, the Governor convened a meeting of Indian leaders and S.B. Patel was one of the delegates. In 1934, when the fight for common roll was being conducted from outside the Legislative Council
, S.B. Patel chaired meetings called by the umbrella organisation, the Indian Association of Fiji
.
During the 1943 sugar cane strike, it was through S.B. Patel, that a meeting was arranged between the Government and the Maha Sangh
. When negotiations started for the 1950 cane contract, it was S.B. Patel who persuaded the five farmers' unions to work together. In 1976, when the National Federation Party
(NFP) was hopelessly divided, it was again S.B. Patel who managed to get the two sides to patch up their differences and fight the March 1977
election as a united party. The NFP won this election.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
trained barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, who arrived in Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, from India, on 24 December 1927. He was a man of calm and philosophical nature and had considerable influence on Fiji politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
, always working behind the scenes. Even the Government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
of Fiji used him as a channel of communication with Fiji Indian leadership.
He was born in the Kheda
Kheda
Kheda is a town and a municipality in Kheda district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Kheda, also known as Kaira, is 35 km from Ahmedabad. The National Highway no. 8 connecting Ahmedabad and Mumbai passes through Kheda...
district of Gujarat in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and had worked with Gandhi when he initiated satyagraha in Kaira District, in 1918, to secure suspension of revenue assessment on failure of crops, then went to Rangoon and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. His decision to come to Fiji was the result of Dr Hamilton Beattie's correspondence with Henry S. L. Polak regarding the problems of the Fiji Indians. Polak suggested that Patel go to Fiji to practise law and help organise the Indian community. He was reluctant at first, but at Gandhi's urging agreed to come to Fiji. While studying in London he met A.D. Patel
A.D. Patel
Ambalal Dahyabhai Patel, better known as A.D. Patel, was a Fiji Indian politician, farmers' leader and founder and leader of the National Federation Party. Patel was uncompromisingly committed to a vision of an independent Fiji, with full racial integration...
and is credited with being responsible for getting him to come to Fiji.
On his arrival in Fiji, he had first-hand experience with the division among Fiji Indians when he was welcomed by two rival groups at Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
wharf, one led by Beattie and the other by Vishnu Deo
Vishnu Deo
Pandit Vishnu Deo OBE was the first Fiji born and bred leader of the Fiji Indians. From 1929, when he was first elected to the Legislative Council, until his retirement in 1959, he remained the most powerful Fiji Indian political leader in Fiji...
. It was the mediation of S.B. Patel which led to the merger of the two rival organisations, each called Fiji Indian National Congress
Fiji Indian National Congress
On the fiftieth anniversary of the arrival of the first Indians in Fiji, two different organisations called the Fiji Indian National Congress were formed in Fiji. The acting Governor of Fiji, Alfred W. Seymour, despite European opposition, declared 15 May as a public holiday and as a day of rejoicing...
, to form a single national organisation in 1929.
He, together with A.D. Patel and Vishnu Deo
Vishnu Deo
Pandit Vishnu Deo OBE was the first Fiji born and bred leader of the Fiji Indians. From 1929, when he was first elected to the Legislative Council, until his retirement in 1959, he remained the most powerful Fiji Indian political leader in Fiji...
planned tactics which led to Vishnu Deo moving a motion calling for common roll. S.B. Patel was actually present in the public gallery as Vishnu Deo moved the historic motion. After the walkout by Indian members, the Governor convened a meeting of Indian leaders and S.B. Patel was one of the delegates. In 1934, when the fight for common roll was being conducted from outside the Legislative Council
Legislative Council (Fiji)
The Fijian Legislative Council was the colonial precursor to the present-day Parliament, which came into existence when Fiji became independent on 10 October 1970.-The first Legislative Council:...
, S.B. Patel chaired meetings called by the umbrella organisation, the Indian Association of Fiji
Indian Association of Fiji
Indian Association of Fiji has been the name used by organisations formed at different times in the history of Fiji, to unite different groups within the Fiji Indian community to work to improve the plight of Indians in Fiji....
.
During the 1943 sugar cane strike, it was through S.B. Patel, that a meeting was arranged between the Government and the Maha Sangh
Maha Sangh
Akhil Fiji Krishak Maha Sangh was a sugar cane farmers' union formed on 15 June 1941 in opposition to the existing union, the Kisan Sangh. Supporters of Kisan Sangh tried to stop the formation of the Maha Sangh but were unsuccessful. The people responsible for the formation of a second sugar cane...
. When negotiations started for the 1950 cane contract, it was S.B. Patel who persuaded the five farmers' unions to work together. In 1976, when the National Federation Party
National Federation Party (Fiji)
The National Federation Party is a Fijian political party founded by A.D. Patel in November 1968, as a merger of the Federation Party and the National Democratic Party...
(NFP) was hopelessly divided, it was again S.B. Patel who managed to get the two sides to patch up their differences and fight the March 1977
Fiji election of 1977 (March)
General elections were held in Fiji between 19 March and 2 April 1977. A split in the ethnic Fijian vote, which saw 25 percent defecting to Fijian Nationalist Party of Sakeasi Butadroka, an extremist organization which advocated the "repatriation" of Indo-Fijians to India, led to the narrow defeat...
election as a united party. The NFP won this election.