Today is 31st October, the birth date of India’s
IRON Man – Sardar Vallabbhai Patel. Gujarat government is erecting the world’s
highest statue ever built in Great near Narmada reservoir
However Indian politics is currently stirred by Ownership of
IRON Man of India. The issue came on discussion when Narendra Modi, Hon. Chief
Minister of Gujarat claimed the legacy of Iron Man of India in front of Hon.
Prime Minister of India – Manmohan Singh.
Here I would say, in last 60 years congress never applauded any
Congressman-Freedom fighter other than Nehru-Gandhi, then how come all of
sudden Congressman realized the importance of Sardar Patel, when a BJP planning
to erect the ‘Statue of Unity’ of Sardar
Vallabbhai Patel – The IRON Man of India. One thing is very clear, the great
leaders may it be Sardar Patel, Mahatma Gandhi, Gautama Buddha, Shivaji Maharaj
etc; do not belong to particular party or caste. They are leaders of the
country, community over and above the political party. And when we are talking
about Sardar Patel, he had created 2nd highest position in Indian
politics after Mahatma Gandhi at the wake of India’s independence. Such leaders
can’t belong to congress, Gujarat (Birth place) but they are National leaders.
Talking about the legend, Sardar Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai
Patel was an Indian barrister and statesman, one of the founding fathers of the
Republic of India. He is known to be a social leader of India who played an
unparalleled role in the country's struggle for independence and guided its
integration into a united, independent nation. The designation of ‘Sardar’ was
offered by Indian citizen for his leadership skills as ‘Chief’
Sardar played critical role as
the first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of India, Patel organised
relief for refugees in Punjab and Delhi, and led efforts to restore peace
across the nation. Patel took charge of the task to forge a united India from
the British colonial provinces allocated to India and more than five hundred
self-governing princely states, released from British suzerainty by the Indian
Independence Act 1947. Using frank diplomacy, backed with the option and use of
military force, Patel's leadership persuaded almost every princely state. Often
known as the "Iron Man of India" or "Bismarck of India", he
is also remembered as the "Patron Saint" of India's civil servants
for establishing modern all-India services.
The journey to the designation as
Chief, The Sardar started from 1917, when he was deeply impressed when Gandhi
defied the British in Champaran for the sake of the area's oppressed farmers. Vallabbhai
Patel encouraged Indians nationwide to sign Gandhi's petition demanding
Swaraj—independence—from the British. After meeting Gandhi a month later, he
became the secretary of the Gujarat Sabha—a public body which would become the
Gujarati arm of the Indian National Congress and it was the beginning…. Patel
energetically fought against (veth-bigari) forced servitude of Indians to Europeans
and organised relief efforts in wake of plague and famine in Kheda (Gujarat). The
revolt was launched and revenue refused, the government sent police and
intimidation squads to seize property, including confiscating barn animals and
whole farms. Patel organised a network of volunteers to work with individual
villages, helping them hide valuables and protect themselves during raids. The
revolt began evoking sympathy and admiration across India, including with
pro-British Indian politicians. The government agreed to negotiate with Patel
and decided to suspend the payment of revenue for the year, even scaling back
the rate. Patel emerged as a hero to Guajarati’s and admired across India.
Patel supported Gandhi's Non-cooperation movement, helping organize
bonfires of British goods in Ahmadabad; Patel threw in all his English-style
clothes and also supported Gandhi's controversial suspension of resistance in
wake of the ChauriChaura incident. He worked extensively in the following years
in Gujarat against alcoholism, un-touchability and caste discrimination, as
well as for the empowerment of women.
When Gandhi was in prison, Sardar
Patel was asked by Members of Congress to lead the Satyagraha in Nagpur in 1923
against a law banning the raising of the Indian flag. He organised thousands of
volunteers from all over the country in processions hoisting the flag. Patel
negotiated a settlement that obtained the release of all prisoners and allowed
nationalists to hoist the flag in public. Historians believe that one of
Patel's key achievements was the building of cohesion and trust amongst the
different castes and communities, which were divided on socio-economic lines.
After the signing of the
Gandhi-Irwin Pact, Patel was elected Congress president for its 1931 session in
Karachi—here the Congress ratified the pact, committed itself to the defense of
fundamental rights and human freedoms, and a vision of a secular nation,
minimum wage and the abolition of untouchability and serfdom. Upon the failure
of the Round Table Conference in London, Gandhi and Patel were arrested in
January 1932 when the struggle re-opened, and imprisoned in the Yeravda Central
Jail. During this term of imprisonment, Patel and Gandhi grew close to each
other, and the two developed a close bond of affection, trust, and frankness. Their mutual relationship could be described as that of an elder brother
(Gandhi) and his younger brother (Patel).Despite having arguments with Gandhi,
Patel respected his instincts and leadership.
Sardar
Patel started moving to
highest level in Congress with his role from 1934 onwards when the Congress
abandoned its boycott of elections. He became the Congress's main fund-raiser
and chairman of its Central Parliamentary Board, playing the leading role in
selecting and financing candidates for the 1934 elections to the Central
Legislative Assembly in New Delhi and also for the Provincial elections of 1936.
Not contesting a seat for himself, Patel nevertheless guided Congressmen
elected in the provinces and at the national level. Patel had guided the
Congress ministries that had won power across India with the aim of preserving
party discipline. He did not want the party to be distracted from the goal of
complete independence.
Gandhi's proposed for an all-out
campaign of civil disobedience to force the British to Quit India, Patel was
its most fervent supporter. In Patel's view, an all-out rebellion would force
the British to concede that continuation of colonial rule had no support in
India, and thus speed power transfer to Indians. Believing strongly in the need
for revolt, Patel stated his intention to resign from the Congress if the
revolt was not approved. Gandhi’s support and strong pressure approval sought
for an all-out campaign of civil disobedience by All India Congress Committee.
Patel gave emotional speeches to large crowds across India despite his
deteriorating health, asking people to refuse paying taxes and participate in
civil disobedience, mass protests and a shutdown of all civil services.
Historians believe that Patel's speech was instrumental in electrifying
nationalists, who had been skeptical of the proposed rebellion. Even though
other political parties had opposed the struggle and the British had employed
ruthless means of suppression, the Quit India movement was "by far the
most serious rebellion since that of 1857," as the viceroy cabled to
Winston Churchill. More than one lakh people were arrested and thousands killed
in police firings. Strikes, protests and other revolutionary activities had
broken out across India.
In the 1946 election for the
Congress presidency, Patel stepped down in favour of Nehru at the request of
Gandhi. Gandhi asked all 16 states representatives and Congress to elect the
right person and Sardar Patel's name was proposed by 13 states representatives
out of 16, but Patel respected Gandhi's request to not be the first prime
minister. As the first Home Minister, Patel played a key role in integration of
many princely states into the Indian federation.
Vallabhbhai Patel was one of the
first Congress leaders to accept the partition of India as a solution to the
rising Muslim separatist movement led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Patel severely
criticised the viceroy's induction of League ministers into the government, and
the revalidation of the grouping scheme by the British without Congress
approval fully aware that Jinnah did enjoy popular support amongst Muslims, and
that an open conflict between him and the nationalists could degenerate into a
Hindu-Muslim civil war of disastrous consequences. There was fear of wider
fragmentation of India by encouraging more than 600 princely states towards independence
due to a divided and weak central government. Jinnah's demand, the
Hindu-majority areas of Punjab and Bengal be included in a Muslim state,
obtained the partition of those provinces, thus blocking any possibility of
their inclusion in Pakistan. Patel's decisiveness on the partition of Punjab
and Bengal had won him many supporters and admirers amongst the Indian public. When
Lord Louis Mountbatten formally proposed the plan on 3 June 1947, Patel gave
his approval and lobbied Nehru and other Congress leaders to accept the
proposal. Knowing Gandhi's deep anguish regarding proposals of partition, Patel
engaged him in frank discussion in private meetings over the perceived
practical unworkability of any Congress-League coalition, the rising violence
and the threat of civil war. He addressed the AICC as
"I fully appreciate the
fears of our brothers from [the Muslim-majority areas]. Nobody likes the
division of India and my heart is heavy. But the choice is between one division
and many divisions. We must face facts. We cannot give way to emotionalism and
sentimentality. The Working Committee has not acted out of fear. But I am
afraid of one thing, that all our toil and hard work of these many years might
go waste or prove unfruitful. My nine months in office has completely
disillusioned me regarding the supposed merits of the Cabinet Mission Plan.
Except for a few honorable exceptions, Muslim officials from the top down to
the chaprasis (peons or servants) are working for the League. The communal veto
given to the League in the Mission Plan would have blocked India's progress at
every stage. Whether we like it or not, de facto Pakistan already exists in the
Punjab and Bengal. Under the circumstances I would prefer a de jure Pakistan,
which may make the League more responsible. Freedom is coming. We have 75 to 80
percent of India, which we can make strong with our own genius. The League can
develop the rest of the country."
Following Gandhi's and Congress'
approval of the plan, Patel represented India on the Partition Council, where
he oversaw the division of public assets, and selected the Indian council of
ministers with Nehru. However, neither he nor any other Indian leader had
foreseen the intense violence and population transfer that would take place
with partition. Patel took lead in organising relief and emergency supplies,
establishing refugee camps and visiting the border areas with Pakistani leaders
to encourage peace. Despite these efforts, the death toll is estimated at between
5 to 10 lakh people. The estimated number of refugees in both countries exceeds
1.5 crore. Understanding that Delhi and Punjab policemen, accused of organising
attacks on Muslims, were personally affected by the tragedies of partition,
Patel called out the Indian Army with South Indian regiments to restore order,
imposing strict curfews and shoot-at-sight orders. He suppressed from the press
reports of atrocities in Pakistan against Hindus and Sikhs to prevent
retaliatory violence. Establishing the Delhi Emergency Committee to restore
order and organising relief efforts for refugees in the capital, Patel publicly
warned officials against partiality and neglect. When reports reached Patel
that large groups of Sikhs were preparing to attack Muslim convoys heading for
Pakistan, Patel hurried to Amritsar and met Sikh and Hindu leaders. Arguing
that attacking helpless people was cowardly and dishonorable, Patel emphasized
that Sikh actions would result in further attacks against Hindus and Sikhs in
Pakistan. He assured the community leaders that if they worked to establish
peace and order and guarantee the safety of Muslims, the Indian government
would react forcefully to any failures of Pakistan to do the same.
Political integration of India, event formed the cornerstone
of Patel's popularity in post-independence era and even today, he is remembered
as the man who united India. He is, in this regard, compared to Otto von
Bismarck of Germany. As per the Independence Plan, more than 562 princely
states were given the option of joining either India or Pakistan, or choosing
independence. The Congress as well as senior British officials considered Patel
the best man for the task of achieving unification of the princely states with
the Indian dominion. Gandhi had said to Patel "the problem of the States
is so difficult that you alone can solve it". He was considered a
statesman of integrity with the practical acumen and resolves to accomplish a
monumental task. Patel began lobbying the princes, attempting to make them
receptive towards dialogue with the future Government and trying to forestall
potential conflicts. Patel invoked the patriotism of India's monarchs, asking
them to join in the freedom of their nation and act as responsible rulers who
cared about the future of their people. He persuaded the princes of 565 states,
proposed favorable terms for the merger, including creation of privy purses for
the descendants of the rulers. While encouraging the rulers to act with
patriotism, Patel did not rule out force, setting a deadline of 15 August 1947
for them to sign the instrument of accession document. All but three of the
states willingly merged into the Indian union—only Jammu and Kashmir, Junagadh,
and Hyderabad did not fall into his basket.
Junagadh Nawab had under pressure
from Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto acceded to Pakistan. Junagadh was however, quite far
from Pakistan and 80% of its population was Hindu. Patel combined diplomacy
with force, demanding that Pakistan annul the accession, and that the Nawab
accede to India. He sent the Army to occupy three principalities of Junagadh to
show his resolve. Following widespread protests and the formation of a civil
government, and under Patel's orders, Indian Army and police units marched into
the state. A plebiscite later organised produced a 99.5% vote for merger with
India.
Hyderabad was the largest of the
princely states, likely Junagadh ruled by the Nizam Osman Ali Khan, although
over 80% of its people were Hindu. The Nizam sought independence or accession
with Pakistan. Muslim forces loyal to Nizam, called the Razakars, under Qasim Razvi
organising attacks on people on Indian soil. In September 1948, Patel
emphasised in Cabinet meetings that India should talk no more, and prepared for
military action. Patel ordered the Indian Army to integrate Hyderabad in his
capacity as Acting Prime Minister as Operation Polo, in which thousands of
Razakar forces had been killed, but Hyderabad was comfortably secured into the
Indian Union.
On the orders of Vallabhbhai
Patel, a ship of the Royal Indian Navy was sent to the Lakshadweep islands to
hoist the Indian national flag and ensure the islands' integration into the new
Union of India, aiming to thwart any similar attempt by Pakistan being Muslim
majority.
When the Pakistani invasion of
Kashmir began in September 1947, Patel immediately wanted to send troops into
Kashmir. But agreeing with Nehru and Mountbatten, he waited till Kashmir's
monarch had acceded to India. Patel then oversaw India's military operations to
secure Srinagar, the Baramulla Pass and the forces retrieved much territory
from the invaders. Patel, along with Defense Minister Baldev Singh administered
the entire military effort, arranging for troops from different parts of India
to be rushed to Kashmir and for a major military road connecting Srinagar to
Pathankot be built in 6 months. Patel strongly advised Nehru against going for
arbitration to the United Nations, insisting that Pakistan had been wrong to
support the invasion and the accession to India was valid. He did not want
foreign interference in a bilateral affair. Patel opposed the release of Rs. 55
crores to the Government of Pakistan, convinced that the money would go to
finance the war against India in Kashmir. The Cabinet had approved his point
but it was reversed when Gandhi, who feared an intensifying rivalry and further
communal violence, went on a fast-unto-death to obtain the release.
After independence, though Prime
Minister Nehru was intensely popular with the masses, but Patel enjoyed the
loyalty and the faith of rank and file Congressmen, state leaders and India's
civil services. Patel was a senior leader in the Constituent Assembly of India
and was responsible in a large measure for shaping India's constitution. He is
also known as the "Bismarck of India". Patel was a key force behind
the appointment of Dr. Ambedkar as the chairman of the drafting committee, and
the inclusion of leaders from a diverse political spectrum in the process of
writing the constitution. Patel was the chairman of the committees responsible
for minorities, tribal and excluded areas, fundamental rights and provincial
constitutions. He worked closely with Muslim leaders to end separate
electorates and the more potent demand for reservation of seats for minorities.
He was instrumental in the founding the Indian Administrative Service and the
Indian Police Service, and for his defense of Indian civil servants from
political attack, he is known as the "patron saint" of India's
services.
In 1949, a crisis arose when the
number of Hindu refugees entering West Bengal, Assam and Tripura from East
Pakistan climbed over 800,000. The refugees in many cases were being forcibly
evicted by Pakistani authorities, and were victims of intimidation and
violence. Patel strongly criticised, however, Nehru's intention to sign a pact
that would create minority commissions in both countries to a commitment to
protect each other's minorities. Nehru was intensely criticised in West Bengal
for allegedly appeasing Pakistan. The pact was immediately in jeopardy. Patel
however, publicly came out to Nehru's aid. He gave emotional speeches to
members of Parliament, delegations of Congressmen, Hindus, Muslims and other
public interest groups, persuading them to give peace a final effort.
Patel also pledged the
reconstruction of the ancient but dilapidated Somnath Temple in Saurashtra, he
oversaw the creation of a public trust and restoration work, and pledged to
dedicate the temple upon the completion of work. The temple was inaugurated by
the first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad).
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