Introduction:
Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel, known as the “Iron Man of India’ is a revered name in Indian
politics. A lawyer and a political activist, he played a leading role during
the Indian Independence Movement. After independence, he was crucial in the
integration of over 565 princely states into the Indian Union. He was deeply
influenced by Gandhi’s ideology and principles, having worked very closely with
leader. Despite being the choice of the people, on the request of Mahatma
Gandhi, Sardar Patel stepped down from the candidacy of Congress President,
which ultimately turned out to be the election to choose the first Prime
Minister of independent India. He was the first Home Minister of Independent
India and his uncompromising efforts towards consolidation of the country
earned him the title ‘Iron Man of India’.
In 2014, the Government of India had decided to celebrate the birthday of Sardar Patel as the "National Unity Day" to honor Sardar Patel's contribution to integrated India. Since 2014, we are celebrating the 31st October (date of birth of Sardar Patel) as the "National Unity Day". Apart from this, the world's tallest statue, the Statue of Unity, was dedicated to him on 31 October 2018, which is about 182 meters (597 ft) high.
Early life
Vallabhbhai Patel was born on October 31, 1875 in Nadiad village
of modern day Gujarat to Zaverbhai and Ladbai. Vallabhbhai, his father had
served in the army of the Queen of Jhansi while his mother was a very spiritual
woman.
Starting his academic career in a Gujarati
medium school, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel later shifted to an English medium
school. In 1897, Vallabhbhai passed his high school and started preparing for
law examination. He went to pursue a degree in law and travelled to England in
1910. He completed his law degree in 1913 from Inns of Court and came back to
India to start his law practice in Godhra, Gujarat. For his legal proficiency,
Vallabhbhai was offered many lucrative posts by the British Government but he
rejected all. He was a staunch opponent of the British government and its laws
and therefore decided not to work for the British.
In 1891 he married Zaverbai and the couple
had two children.
Patel shifted his practice to Ahmedabad. He
became a member of the Gujarat Club where he attended a lecture by Mahatma
Gandhi. Gandhi’s words deeply affected Vallabhbai and he soon adopted Gandhian
principles to become a staunch follower of the charismatic leader.
Role in Indian National Movement
In 1917, Sardar Vallabhbhai was elected as
the Secretary of the Gujarat Sabha, the Gujarat wing of the Indian National
Congress. In 1918, he led a massive "No Tax Campaign" that urged the
farmers not to pay taxes after the British insisted on tax after the floods in
Kaira. The peaceful movement forced the British authorities to return the land
taken away from the farmers. His effort to bring together the farmers of his
area brought him the title of 'Sardar'. He actively supported the
non-cooperation Movement launched by Gandhi. Patel toured the nation with him,
recruited 300,000 members and helped collect over Rs. 1.5 million.
In 1928, the farmers of Bardoli again faced
a problem of "tax-hike". After prolonged summons, when the farmers
refused to pay the extra tax, the government seized their lands in retaliation.
The agitation took on for more than six months. After several rounds of
negotiations by Patel, the lands were returned to farmers after a deal was
struck between the government and farmers’ representatives.
In 1930, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was among the leaders
imprisoned for participating in the famous Salt Satyagraha movement initiated
by Mahatma Gandhi. His inspiring speeches during the "Salt Movement"
transformed the outlook of numerous people, who later played a major role in
making the movement successful. He led the Satyagraha movement across Gujarat
when Gandhi was under imprisonment, upon request from the congress
members.
Sardar Patel was freed in 1931, following
an agreement signed between Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy of
India. The treaty was popularly known as the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. The same year,
Patel was elected as the President of Indian National Congress in its Karachi
session where the party deliberated its future path. Congress committed itself
towards defence of fundamental and human rights. It was in this session that
the dream of a secular nation was conceived.
During the legislative elections of 1934,
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel campaigned for the Indian National Congress. Though he
did not contest, Sardar Patel helped his fellow party mates during the
election.
In the 1942 Quit India Movement, Patel
continued his unwavering support to Gandhi when several contemporary leaders
criticized the latter’s decision. He continued travelling throughout the
country propagating the agenda of the movement in a series of heart-felt
speeches. He was arrested again in 1942 and was imprisoned in the Ahmednagar
fort till 1945 along with other Congress leaders.
Sardar Patel’s journey often saw a number
of confrontations with other important leaders of the congress. He voiced his
annoyance at Jawaharlal Nehru openly when the latter adopted socialism in 1936.
Patel was also wary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and considered him to be "keen
on more power within the party”.
Sardar Patel & the Partition of India
The separatist movement lead by Muslim
League leader Mohammed Ali Jinnah led to a series of violent Hindu-Muslim riots
across the country just before the independence. In Sardar Patel’s opinion, the
open communal conflicts incited by the riots had the potential to establish a
weak Government at the centre post-independence which will be disastrous for
consolidating a democratic nation. Patel went on to work on a solution with
V.P. Menon, a civil servant during December 1946 and accepted his suggestion of
creating a separate dominion based on religious inclination of states. He
represented India in the Partition Council.
Contributions to Post-independence India
After India achieved independence, Patel
became the first Home Minister and also the Deputy Prime Minister. Patel played
a very crucial role in post-independence India by successfully integrating
around 562 princely states under the Indian Dominion. The British Government
had presented these rulers with two alternatives - they could join India or
Pakistan; or they could stay independent. This clause magnified the difficulty
of process to mammoth proportions. Congress entrusted this intimidating task to
Sardar Patel who started lobbying for integration on August 6, 1947. He was
successful in integrating all of them barring Jammu and Kashmir, Junagarh and
Hyderabad. He eventually dealt with the situation with his sharp political
acumen and secured their accession. The India that we see today was a result of
the efforts put in by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Patel was a leading member of the Constituent Assembly of India
and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was appointed on his recommendation. He was the key force
in establishing the Indian Administrative Service and the Indian Police
Service. He took personal interest in initiating a restoration endeavour of the
Somnath Temple in Saurashtra, Gujarat. Patel dealt ruthlessly with the
Pakistan’s efforts to invade Kashmir in September 1947. He oversaw immediate
expansion of the army and marked improvement of other infrastructural aspects.
He often disagreed with Nehru’s policies, especially about his dealings with
Pakistan regarding the refugee issues. He organised multiple refugee camps in
Punjab and Delhi, and later in West Bengal.
Death
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's health started
declining in 1950. He realized that he was not going to live much longer. On
2nd November 1950, his health deteriorated further and he was confined to bed.
After suffering a massive heart attack, on 15 December 1950, the great soul
left the world. He was posthumously conferred the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest
Civilian honour, in 1991. His birthday, October 31, was declared Rashtriya Ekta
Divas in 2014.
