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Special on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Punyatithi (15 December)
Sardar Patel devoted his whole life to the independence of India, to build a united India and to lay the foundation of a New India. Attempts were made to diminish the legacy of Sardar Patel for a long time, as it took many years to felicitate him with Bharat Ratna, build Sardar Patel’s memorial and create an inspiration for young children by compiling his thoughts.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was a ‘Karma Yogi’ who worked with commitment to actualise the thoughts. Sardar Patel devoted his whole life to the independence of India, to build a united India and to lay the foundation of a New India. Attempts were made to diminish the legacy of Sardar Patel for a long time, as it took many years to felicitate him with Bharat Ratna, build Sardar Patel’s memorial and create an inspiration for young children by compiling his thoughts. Sardar Patel is immortal and unshakable through his works. Sardar Saheb was a visionary, genuine and grounded person.
Sardar Patel used to follow the basic ideology of solving the problems on the ground. He also worked to spread the cooperative movement in the country, very few people would know that Sardar Patel sowed the seeds of Amul and Tribhuvandas Patel ji established Amul with the thoughts, guidance and inspiration of Sardar Patel
We are celebrating the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav and the thoughts of Sardar Patel are as relevant today as they were in the 19th century. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Statue of Unity, the tallest statue in the world was made by melting the iron of agricultural implements of crores of farmers of more than 3 lakh villages of the country, Prime Minister ensured that the hope, expectation and dreams of the whole country are cherished in this statue.
Sardar Patel used to follow the basic ideology of solving the problems on the ground. He also worked to spread the cooperative movement in the country, very few people would know that Sardar Patel sowed the seeds of Amul and Tribhuvandas Patel ji established Amul with the thoughts, guidance and inspiration of Sardar Patel.
Between 1920 and 1930, voices were being raised against the exploitation of farmers in the country and Gandhiji gave Vallabhbhai the name of Sardar after seeing the skill with which he mobilized the farmers. It is because of Sardar Patel Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar, Jodhpur, Junagadh and Hyderabad are part of India today. Because of Sardar patel, the crown jewel of Mother India, Kashmir is also with India today. It was Sardar Patel who decided to send the army in J&K, which defeated the soldiers of Pakistan and ensured that Kashmir remained an integral part of India.
Without Sardar Patel, the map of India would not have been as it is today. After independence, Sardar Patel worked to aggregate more than 500 princely states and kings-princes from all over India. Sardar Patel travelled across the country despite his ill health to unite more than 500 princely states into the Indian Union. After independence, the foundation of democracy was laid in India and India was united by the tireless efforts of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. At the time of independence, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill had said that India would be fragmented as soon as the British leave, as Indian leaders are less capable and they will fight for power, But Sardar Patel united the whole country and today India has left behind the same Britain to become the world’s 5th largest economy.
The foundation of democracy in India has deepened in 75 years and as a result of this, after independence, the mandates given by the people peacefully by means of vote were accepted by all and the leadership in the country has changed many times without any bloodshed. The Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel worked tirelessly to unite the princely states, as well as laid the foundation of All India Services and Intelligence Bureau, envisioned the Central Police and the molded the administrative services to suit Indian ethos. It is the result of the efforts of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel that the center-state structure in India has been formulated in such a way that there is no friction of any kind and as a result of this there is no contradiction between the center and states today.
Sardar Patel’s ideas of non-violence were also very real and he worked to bring results by finding solutions to every problem without wanting to get fame. While on one hand the nation got the idealistic and spiritual leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, on the other hand it got the support of a practical, visionary and realistic leader like
Iron Man of India ‘Sardar Patel’, even after getting the most votes in the Congress Working Committee atthe time of independence, gave up the post of Prime Minister of the country
Sardar Patel. Sardar Patel’s combination of these two has helped India. Sardar Patel took many important decisions during making of the Constitution of India. He advocated giving Babasaheb Dr. B. R. Ambedkar the task of drafting and compiling the constitution. Sardar Patel put his ideas several times in front of the Constituent Assembly so that the constitution remains balanced. To know more this and to understand the soul of the Constitution, the people should read the Constitution debates of Sardar Patel, K. M. Munshi and Babasaheb Dr.B. R. Ambedkar.
The 75 years, after independence, were very difficult. Sometimes the country had to face war and sometimes terrorism. The country also had to withstand global and economic problems, but in spite of all these difficulties, the foundation of democracy has been deepened in India through inclusive and all-round development. He guided the country according to the spirit of the constitution and ensured the security of the nation, due to which no one in the world can dare to insult India’s army and border. India has pushed forward its economy with a strong impetus, and in a few years, India will reach closer to the major countries of the world in terms of infrastructure as well. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi decided to celebrate the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav with three objectives. One, the coming young generation of the country should understand the freedom movement and struggle, second, let us know what we have achieved in 75 years and third, let us all set the goal for the centenary year of independence.
We have to make an India full of confidence based on the vision of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel, which will come out at the forefront of the world competition and such an India can be made only when we leave the inferiority complex of language. Despite efforts made by some people to forget Sardar Patel, Sardar is still in the mind of every person in the country because he was a practical leader, son of India’s soil and a symbol of Indian culture who never desired to achieve fame. Iron Man of India ‘Sardar Patel’, even after getting the most votes in the Congress Working Committee at the time of independence, gave up the post of Prime Minister of the country so that the new government that was to be formed remain free from controversy and our enemies would not be strengthened.
(Excerpt of the speech delivered by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah on 31st October, 2022 at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya in New Delhi.)