D.R.Bhagat
It could not be believed that it was possible to bring the large number of princely states with people and princes of different faith and cultures into the fold of free Indian Union after independence in such a short period when many of the princes were unwilling to do so. However, it was made possible by a single person, the Iron Man of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He was a born administrator and an unrivalled politician. There are certain stories about his early life which depicted bravery, a strong will and leadership qualities in him. While studying in high school, Patel first chose ‘Sanskrit’ as an optional subject but then changed to ‘Gujarati’. The teacher teaching Gujarati was not happy with him for his opting for this subject. So the teacher asked him in an insulting way “Great man, why did you give up Sanskrit and choose Gujarati”. Vallabhbhai answered “If everyone chooses Sanskrit, you will have no work”. The teacher became angry and complained the headmaster. Vallabhbhai was called to the headmaster’s office and he narrated the headmaster all that happened. The headmaster said that he has not seen such a brave student. In another incident a teacher fined a student of his class and also turned him out of the class for some mistake. Vallabhbhai thought that the action of the teacher was unjust and the student was also so poor that he was unable to pay the fine. He called for a strike in the class and the strike remained successful and after three days the headmaster of the school apologised on behalf of teacher and the punishment imposed was also withdrawn.
He was born on 31 October 1875 in a farmer’s family of Nadiad in Gujarat to his parents Zaverbhai Patel and Ladbai. His father was in the Army of Rani Jhansi and had fought against the British. Vallabhbhai matriculated from the Nadiad high school in 1897 and was married to Jhaverba at the age of 16. He was interested to become a lawyer. So he continued his studies as a private candidate and got through the Law examination. He wanted to start his practice but he had no money. After borrowing some money from his friends he started his practice of law at Godhra. As he was an energetic person and soon the clients started attracting towards him and in a short time he became a famous lawyer of Godhra. He had two children, a daughter named Manibehn and a son Dayabhai. He was very much interested in his profession and punctual to his duties. His wife fell ill in 1908 and was sent to Bombay for treatment. She could not recover and expired in January 1909. He received the telegram informing about the death of his wife. At that time he was busy in arguments in a case. He received the telegram, read its contents and after keeping it in the pocket continued his arguments. It was only after the arguments concluded that the people present there came to know about the death of his wife. He even won this case. He did not lose heart. He proceeded for England the next year for higher studies and returned back in 1913 as Barrister-in-law. He started his practice in Ahmedabad. He looked smart and mostly remained dressed in western style. Being able and hard working he earned a good practice and became a leading lawyer of Ahmedabad.
He became a member of the fashionable Gujarat Club. A turning point came in his life when one day Mahatma Gandhi came to the Gujarat club and delivered a speech. He was deeply impressed with the ideas of Gandhi. He came in his contact and said good bye to the western clothes and adopted simple dresses. He entered into politics in 1918 when there were devastating rains and floods in Kaira in Gujarat and all the crops were destroyed. But the Britishers continued collecting taxes and in case of non payment of the taxes their lands were confiscated. On the insistence of Gandhiji, Patel started Satyagrah for no tax collection. He asked the peasants not to pay any tax. The Government could not stand before the unity of the peasants and the bold leadership of Patel. The Government stopped the tax collection and also returned the land confiscated by them. Then again there was a similar problem in Bardoli where the British Government announced an exorbitant tax increase from the farmers. Gandhi again sent him to Bardoli to lead the agitation started by peasants. Again under his apt leadership the government was compelled to withdraw the order. For leading these successful agitations Gandhi gave him the title of ‘ Sardar’. He was jailed for the first time during the Disobedience Movement in 1930. He was elected the president of Congress in 1931in its Karachi session. He was again arrested along with Gandhi in the same year. During this period his mother expired on November 22, 1932 and elder brother expired in October 1933. On both these occasions he was offered the conditional parole to perform last rites but he refused. He was released in 1934.He was instrumental in the partition of Punjab and Bengal despite the opposition of Mahatma Gandhi as he had apprehensions that in case of division of the country as per Jinnah’s two nation theory, these muslim majority states could go to Pakistan in its entirety.
India became independent in August 1947 with its partition. As per Mountbatten’s Plan of June3, 1947 the princely states of India were free to accede to India or Pakistan or remain independent. It was a hill task job to unite these States and bring them under the Union of India. But Sardar Patel who was the home minister in the interim Government of Jawahar Lal Nehru and then after the independence immediately took up with the rulers of these States and with his wisdom, strong will and administrative skills was able to get the Instrument of Accession signed by most of them even before the declaration of independence while the others joined the Indian Union immediately after the independence was declared. Out of the 565 princely states 562 were brought into the fold of India without using any force. The three remaining states were Junagarh, Hyderabad and Jammu & Kashmir. The Nawab of Junagarh and the Nizam of Hyderabad were conspiring to merge with Pakistan but the people were interested for India. Patel sent force to deal with the Nawab of Junagarh and the same formula was applied for Hyderabad to get these states acceded to India. The case of Jammu & Kashmir was handed over to Ministry of Foreign affairs and Patel did not interfere.
Sardar Patel was a person who always saw the future. In a letter written to Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru on November 7, 1950 he informed that China should not be trusted and it proved true when China attacked India in 1962. Gandhi’s death shook him and he could not sleep for several nights. He was the last person to meet Gandhiji before his death. This great son of India, an Iron man, a bold leader and a true patriot left this world silently on December 15, 1950. He was decorated with Bharat Ratna in 1991. Government has decided to install his 182 metre high iron statue in Ahmedabad with a cost of about Rs 3000 crores which will be the tallest statue in the world. The Government has also decided to celebrate his birthday as National Unity Day.
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