In order to avenge its terrible defeat in the First World War, Germany, under the leadership of Hitler, climbed the British and their allied countries with fierce weapons in 1939. When his armies advanced by trampling Poland, it became necessary to stop Germany. England and its allies declared war on Germany and forcibly dragged India into it.
The Congress was in a strange position. Even in the First World War, the British had pushed India into the World War without asking the people of India, and Gandhiji, in agreement with the Viceroy, launched a campaign to recruit Indian youth into the army. This time also the first thing was going to be repeated.
Angered by this move of the Ghori government, the Congress governments resigned in all the provinces. Sardar Patel made a clear announcement that the British should liberate India immediately, after that ask India for cooperation in the Second World War. As soon as Sardar Patel made this announcement, Gandhiji came out against Patel. Gandhiji said that India should cooperate with the British without any condition in the hour of crisis.
The British government understood that Gandhiji may keep speaking his words, but this time due to Patel's attitude, he would not be able to convince the Congress that India should cooperate unconditionally in the World War. Therefore, on 16 October 1939, the Viceroy cleverly announced that after the Second World War, India could be considered for full autonomy.
Sardar Patel reacted sharply to this and said that what will be the outcome of the war, who knows? If any other caste occupied India's land after the Great War, how will the British keep their promise? So if you have to give something, give it today. Mahatma Gandhi again opposed Patel.
On this Patel was distressed and said that I do not see any shortcoming in my demand for complete autonomy, yet if Bapu does not agree even after my request, then I am ready to forget it and obey his every order, but By then the entire Congress had agreed to Patel's reasoning except Gandhiji's.
Chakravarti Rajagopalachari once said that I am a blind devotee of Gandhiji, but Patel is one of his wonderful devotees who have huge eyes with which he can see everything clearly. But still he sometimes blindly imitates Gandhiji blindly from reality.
Once again Rajaji's words were going to be proved right. Patel was clearly right but he was fully prepared to obey Gandhiji's orders. It seemed that Sardar did not want any other head to lead the Congress.