M. Venkaiah Naidu
Force behind unification
Sardar Patel’s foresight too tactful navigation of the most turbulent menses inward post-Independence, too the resolve he demonstrated inward integrating the to a greater extent than than 500 disparate princely States into the Dominion of Republic of Republic of India is an unparalleled accomplishment inward modern history.
Hailing Patel’s feat, Lord Mountbatten, the terminal Viceroy of India, had said: “By far the most of import achievement of the introduce regime is the unification of U.S.A. into the Dominion of India. Had y'all failed inward this, the results would take away maintain been disastrous… Nothing has added to the prestige of the introduce regime to a greater extent than than the vivid policy y'all take away maintain followed amongst the States.”
Patel was a statesman amongst a rigid feel of realpolitik, a realist to the meat too an earthy political leader whose sole aim was to laid upward a rigid too united India.
What makes the merger of the princely States really incredible is the fact that the princely rulers had the alternative at that fourth dimension to either accede to Republic of Republic of India or Islamic Republic of Pakistan or rest independent. Yet, Patel’s sagacity, foresight, patriotism, tact, persuasive powers too abiding commitment to fair play enabled him to untangle a highly complex political too social work of an unprecedented scale, without triggering whatever form of revolt or civil unrest.
However, he was besides compelled to purpose coercion past times launching ‘Operation Polo’ to unloose too integrate Hyderabad afterward the Nizam of Hyderabad entertained faux hopes of either joining Islamic Republic of Pakistan or remaining independent. In a swift performance lasting 5 days, Hyderabad State was liberated inward September 1948.
Writing nearly Patel’s decisiveness inward the Christian Science Monitor, W. Gordon Graham observed: “Hyderabad, a State roofing 80,000 foursquare miles inward the middle of peninsular India, was at that fourth dimension inward the traveling pocket of an unscrupulous minority which aimed at secession from India. Had the bid succeeded, Republic of Republic of India mightiness non take away maintain survived every bit a political unit. This province of affairs needed a homo of Fe who would non balk at coercive action, too inward the Sardar, Republic of Republic of India had at that vital minute merely the man.”
Indeed at the most critical fourth dimension when the country’s political unity was inward jeopardy, Republic of Republic of India constitute the homo of the minute inward Sardar Patel, who displayed amazing patience, tact too a steely decision inward dealing amongst an intransigent ruler, who refused to run into the writing on the wall too fifty-fifty wanted to take away maintain the number to the United Nations. Displaying statesmanship of the highest order, Sardar Patel prevented the attempts to non solely Balkanise Republic of Republic of India but internationalise the number every bit well. The complicated illustration of Junagarh, Gujarat,was besides handled amongst dexterity past times Patel. I experience that the work of Jammu too Kashmir would take away maintain been resolved long dorsum had Sardar Patel been given a gratis manus to handgrip it at that time.
A builder of India
Patel himself termed the entire exercise every bit a “bloodless revolution” when he wanted the Constituent Assembly to consider privy pocketbook settlements for the give upward past times the rulers of all their ruling powers too the dissolution of U.S.A. every bit class units.
Patel was an ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhi too never swerved inward his loyalty to his mentor, although at that topographic point were occasions when he differed amongst him. Similarly, he did non run into eye-to-eye amongst Jawaharlal Nehru on sure enough issues, including the treatment of Jammu too Kashmir. But he did non allow these differences or personal ego to come upward inward the means of protecting the larger interests of the reason — which were at the meat of his heart. He worked shoulder-to-shoulder amongst Nehru inward edifice a modern India.
Patel was a multifaceted personality. He was a dynamic political leader, an organiser par excellence, a competent administrator too a practiced negotiator.
After coming nether the influence of Mahatma Gandhi, he became his loyal follower too successfully organised peasants against the imposition of taxes past times the British at Kheda too Bardoli, Gujarat, too inward the procedure he earned the championship of ‘Sardar’ for his leadership qualities. The fashion inward which he marshalled the peasants too the unflinching stand upward taken past times him eventually forced the authorities to curl dorsum the taxes.
Architect of the steel frame
The Iron Man of Republic of Republic of India was the main architect of India’s steel frame — the civil services. Thus, the All Republic of Republic of India Services were seen every bit an of import cementing forcefulness inward promoting the unity too integrity of the nation.
It volition live relevant to remember his famous address to the civil service probationers inward 1947 when Patel told them that the service volition take away maintain to adopt its truthful business office of national service without existence trammelled upon past times traditions too habits of the past. He said: “Officers must live guided past times a existent spirit of service inward their day-to-day administration, for inward no other fashion tin they stand upward for inward the system of things. Your predecessors were brought upward inward the traditions inward which they felt out of impact too kept themselves aloof from the mutual run of the people. It volition live your bounden duty to process the mutual men inward Republic of Republic of India every bit your ain or to position it correctly, to experience yourself to live i of them.” It is inward the fitness of things that the National Police Academy located on the outskirts of Hyderabad, Telangana, is named afterward him, every bit a tribute to the statesman.
Another seem of the Sardar that needs to live highlighted is his graciousness too magnanimity inward readily abiding past times Mahatma Gandhi’s advice to withdraw his candidacy for the post service of Congress President inward favour of Pandit Nehru inward 1946, although a bulk of State Congress committees supported his candidature. It was apparent that the Congress President would larn the commencement Prime Minister of India. It i time once again proved his noble intention of placing the country’s interests to a higher house self.
His beloved for the motherland was best described past times Maulana Azad when he said: “He made his selection out of 2 courses that come upward earlier a man, namely would he alive for his reason or for himself? Sardar chose his country.”
A tribute
I am glad that the 182-metre-tall ‘Statue of Unity’ is existence unveiled today at the Narmada dam site inward Gujarat, inward a existent tribute too recognition of Patel’s stupendous business office inward integrating diverse princely States too ensuring India’s unity.
As nosotros pay our tributes to the groovy statesman on his nativity anniversary today, on Oct 31, allow us seek to emulate his qualities too operate towards realising his dream of providing ‘Suraaj’ inward a novel too prosperous India.
M. Venkaiah Naidu is the Vice-President of India
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