Sardar Patel: the Iron Man of India

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel known as the Iron man of India was a senior leader of Indian National Congress and a prominent figure in the freedom Struggle of India. He became the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India in 1947. His contribution in integrating 565 princely states into an independent India is unforgettable.

Let’s know more about Sardar Patel’s life, vision, narratives, views and contributions to India.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s Birth:

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was born in Nadiad, Gujarat, on October 31, 1875. He was one of the six children of Jhaverbhai Patel and Ladba. His birth anniversary is now celebrated as Rastriya Ekta Divas i.e., National Unity Day.

Patel’s early life:

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel hailed from a farmer’s family. He belonged to the Leva Patel Patidar community of Central Gujarat. Patel attended the schools in Nadiad, Petlad and Borsad. During the school, he lived self-sufficiently with other boys. He cultivated a stoic character.

Patel passed his matriculation at the relatively late age of 22. His elders regarded him as an unambitious man destined for a commonplace job. But, Patel himself harboured a plan to travel to England to study and to become a lawyer. he decided to work hard and save funds for becoming a barrister.  Patel spent years away from his family. He Studied with books borrowed from other lawyers. He passed his examinations within two years. Then, he fetched his wife Jhaverba from her parents’ home and set up his household in Godhra. He was called to the bar. It took many years to save money. Patel, as an advocate, earned a reputation as a fierce and skilled lawyer.

Patel and his wife Jhaverba had a daughter named Maniben, in 1903 and a son, Dahyabhai, in 1905.

One of his friends was suffering from the Bubonic plague when it swept across Gujarat. Patel cared for him. Patel also came down with the disease. Then, he immediately sent his family to safety. He left his home and moved into an isolated house in Nadiad. Some sources say that Patel spent that time in a dilapidated temple. He recovered slowly there.

Patel practised law at Godhra, Borsad and Anand in Gujarat. Patel the first chairman and founder of ‘Edward Memorial High School’ that is, now, known as ‘Jhaverbhai Dajibhai Patel High School’. He saved enough money for his England-trip and applied for a pass and a ticket.

Patel’s early willingness to sacrifice

Vallabhbhai Patel had a dream to visit England and to study law there. He worked hard and earned money. With this hard-earned money, he managed to get a pass and ticket for going to England.

But the ticket was addressed to ‘V.J. Patel’, his elder brother. His elder brother Vithalbhai also had the same initials as ‘Vallabhai’. Sardar Patel came to know that his elder brother too cherished a dream to study in England.

If Sardar Patel’s elder brother would go to England after his younger brother, it would be disreputable for his elder brother. It would seem that elder brother was following his younger brother. So, in keeping with concerns for his family’s honour, Sardar Patel allowed his elder brother, Vithalbhai Patel to go to England, in his place.

Death of Patel’s wife

Jhaverba, Patel’s wife, was suffering from cancer. In 1909, she was hospitalised in Bombay (Mumbai) to undergo major surgery. Despite successful emergency surgery, her health suddenly worsened and she died in the hospital. To inform Patel about his wife’s demise, Patel was given a note as he was cross-examining a witness in court. According to witnesses, Patel read the note, put it in his pocket and continued his cross-examination and won the case. After proceedings had ended, he broke the news to others. Patel decided not to marry again.

Patel’s Journey to England

In 1911, at the age of 36, he travelled to England. There, he enrolled at the Middle Temple Inn in London. He completed a 36-month course in 30 months. Though Patel had no previous college background, yet he finished at the top of his class.

Patel’s Returning to India

After completing his study in England, he returned to India and settled in Ahmedabad. There, he became one of the most successful barristers of the city. He Wore European-style clothes and sported urbane mannerisms. So, he became a skilled bridge player. Patel nurtured ambitions to expand his practice and accumulate a great wealth. He wanted to provide his children with modern education.

Role of Sardar Patel as a Freedom Fighter

In 1917, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel met with Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in Godhra. This meeting fundamentally changed Patel’s life. He joined the Congress and became the secretary of the Gujarat Sabha.

In 1918, at the time of plague and famine, Patel quit his hard-earned job on Gandhi’s call and joined the movement to fight for exemption of taxes in Kheda

In 1920, Patel joined Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement. He travelled around West India to recruit 3,00,000 members. He also collected more than Rs 1.5 million as the party fund.

According to a British law, the hoisting of the Indian Flag was banned. In 1923, When Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned, Patel led the Satyagraha movement in Nagpur against the British law.

How does Patel get Title of Sardar

It was the Bardoli Satyagraha of 1928 that earned the title of ‘Sardar’ for Vallabhbhai Patel and made him popular throughout the country. The impact was so great that Pandit Motilal Nehru suggested Vallabhbhai’s name for the presidency of the Congress.

In 1928, when the people of Bardoli town whirled under the dual burdens of a heavy tax and famine, Patel organised a massive movement and participated in negotiations with the British government. Some British officials had to tender their resignations. That is why the people of Bardoli conferred on him the title of Sardar, the leader.

During the Salt Satyagraha in 1930, British arrested Sardar Patel and put him on trial without witnesses.

In 1939, world War-2 broke out. Nehru decided to withdraw the Congress from central and provincial legislatures. Patel supported him.

In 1942, Patel spoke successfully at the Gwalia Tank ground in Mumbai to launch the nation-wide civil disobedience movement at the behest of Mahatma Gandhi. The Gwalia Tank ground, now, is called August Kranti Maidan.

During Quit India Movement in1942, the British arrested Patel. He was imprisoned with the entire Congress Working Committee. He was kept at the fort in Ahmednagar from 1942 to 1945.

Sardar Patel’ Role as Congress President

After the signing of the Gandhi–Irwin Pact, Patel was elected as the president of Congress for its session of Karachi in1931. In this session,

Congress committed itself to the protection of fundamental rights and civil liberties. Patel backed for the establishment of a secular nation. The abolition of untouchability and minimum wages for workers were among his other priorities.

As the Congress President, Patel used his position to organise the return of confiscated land to farmers in Gujarat.

Sardar Patel’s Role as The Social Reformer

Patel’s work in social welfare in Gujarat and outside is marvellous. He worked extensively against alcohol consumption, untouchability, caste discrimination. His contribution for women emancipation is remarkable.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s Role as a Statesman:

There is no doubt that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was a great freedom fighter as well as a great stateman. He played a vital role in Indian politics. His contribution in Indian politics cannot be forgotten. Some examples of his contribution are as follows:

1. As Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister

In 1947, after Independence of India, he became India’s first Deputy Prime Minister. Patel was appointed as the Home Minister of India on the first anniversary of Independence. He was also given the charge of the States Department and the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

As the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of Independent India, Patel prepared relief efforts for refugees fleeing from Punjab and Delhi. He worked to restore peace in these areas.

2. Patel as the builder and consolidator of new India

Patel is famous for the accession of 565 princely states into the Union of India. He played a key role in the integration of these princely states. He took the charge of the States Department. He was responsible for the accession of these princely states into the Union of India.

Many princely states joined the Union of India willingly but few princely states like Kashmir, Junagadh, Bhopal, Travancore and Hyderabad were not willing to join the Union of India. They opposed to join the Union of India.

Sardar Patel worked diligently to make a consensus with the princely states. He did not hesitate in employing Chanakya Policy i.e., methods of Sama, Dama, Dand and Bhed.

Princely states of Junagadh ruled by Nawab and Hyderabad ruled by Nizam were not willing to merge their respective states with the Union of India. Patel had used force to annex both of them.

Sardar Patel stitched all of the princely states along with British Indian territory and made a new integrated and consolidated India.  He prevented balkanization of India.

That is why Nehru termed him ‘the builder and consolidator of new India’ paying tribute to him.

Patel was very strong in decision making and executing them. So, he is called the Iron Man of India.

3. Patel’s Concept of All-India Services

Sardar Patel’s opinion was in favour of all-India-Service. He believed that we would not have a united India without all-India-Service. He knew the fact that independent India needed a firm set up to run its military, civil and administrative bureaucracy. His faith in institutional mechanisms was firm. An organised army and a systemized bureaucracy proved to be a blessing for India.

4. Patel as the first choice for Prime Ministership

In the AICC Session of January 15, 1942 held at Wardha, Gandhiji formally designated Jawaharlal Nehru as his political successor. In Gandhiji’s own words ‘… not Rajaji, not Sardar Vallabhabhai, but Jawaharlal will be my successor…When I am gone, he will speak my language.’

Thus, it can be seen that it was none other than Gandhiji who wanted Nehru to lead India but masses wished to elect Patel as the first Prime Minster of Independent India. Patel always listened and obeyed Gandhi.

In 1946, Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs) had a different choice. It elected Patel for the post of Congress Presidentship. 12 out of 15 PCCs favoured Patel as Congress President. Patel’s qualities; as a great leader, organizer and executive; were broadly appreciated.

Nehru remained silent on knowing the fact of the PCC’s choice. Mahatma Gandhi did not want that Jawaharlal take second place. He asked Patel to withdraw his nomination for Congress President. Patel always obeyed Gandhiji. This time too, Patel obeyed Gandhiji. Nehru became Congress President for a short period of time in 1946. Later, he handed over the responsibility to J.B.Kriplani.

By the mercy of Gandhiji, Jawaharlal Nehru headed the interim government of India from 2nd September 1946 to 15th August 1947. Nehru was the Vice-President of the Viceroy’s Executive Council with powers of the Prime Minister. The second-most powerful position in the Council was held by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He headed the Department of Home Affairs and Department of Information and Broadcasting.

5. Patel’s Role During the Partition of British India

Sardar Patel initially opposed the idea of partition of British India. But by December 1946, he accepted the division of India. Many leaders including VP Menon and Abul Kalam Azad felt that Patel was more receptive to the idea of Partition than Nehru.

Abul Kalam Azad was a staunch critic of Partition. He opposed right till the very end. But Patel and Nehru did not oppose so strongly. Azad in his book ‘India Wins Freedom’ says that he was surprised and pained when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in reply to ‘Why Partition was needed’ said, “whether we liked it or not, there were two nations in India”.

6. Patel’s Relation with Nehru

On August 1, Nehru wrote a letter to Patel asking him to join the cabinet. Nehru indicated that he considered Patel as the strongest pillar of the Cabinet. Patel replied that he guaranteed unquestioned loyalty and devotion. He had also declared that their combination is unbreakable and their strength lies therein.

Both of them had different approaches. But end goal for both was to find what is the best for India.

Differences appeared many times. Once in 1950, there were differences in the choice of Congress presidential candidates. Nehru supported J.B. Kriplani but Patel’s choice was Purushottam Das Tandon. At last, Purushottam Das Tandon defeated Kriplani.

It should be noted that the differences never resulted in a major split in the Government or Congress Party.

7. Patel’s Relation with Mahatma Gandhi

In 1930, during Gandhi’s Dandi Salt March, Patel was arrested. The government’s action intensified the protests. Patel along with Gandhiji was released from jail. Then, Patel was elevated to the post of the INC interim president. After the failure of Round Table Conference in London in 1932, Gandhi and Patel were again arrested. They were lodged at the Yeravda Central Jail in Pune. By now, a strong amity developed between both of them.

During the Quit India Movement in 1942, Patel played an important role. He, unlike other Congress leaders, supported Gandhi’s all-out campaign of civil disobedience. He delivered speeches across the country, seeking people’s support for the campaign. He urged them not to pay taxes and to discontinue from joining government services. Patel was imprisoned at Ahmednagar fort in Gujarat. He was kept there till 1945.

Sardar Patel had a great faith in Mahatma Gandhi. He always remained loyal to Gandhiji. However, on certain issues, he differed with Gandhiji.

On 30^th January, 1948, Gandhiji was assassinated. After his assassination, Patel said: “I claim to be nothing more than an obedient soldier of him like the millions who obeyed his call. There was a time when everyone used to call me his blind follower. But both he and I knew that I followed him because our convictions tallied”.

8. Sardar Patel’s Role for Hinduism

According to Raj Mohan Gandhi, one of the most highly regarded biographers of Patel, Patel was the Hindu face of Indian nationalism while Nehru was the secular and global face of Indian nationalism. However, both worked under the same umbrella of Congress.

Patel was never communal. As Home Minister, he did his best to protect Muslim lives in Delhi and Punjab during riots. Patel had a Hindu heart but he ruled with an impartial and secular hand.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel openly defended Hindu interests. This made him less popular among minorities.

9. Patel’s Role for The Temple of Somnath

On 13^th November, 1947, Sardar Patel vowed to rebuild Somnath Temple. Then he was the Deputy Prime Minister of India. Somnath had been destroyed and rebuilt several times in the past. He decided to rebuild it despite denial of Nehru. He felt that the story of its resurrection from ruins should be memorable. It should be symbolic of the story of the resurgence of India.

10. Sardar Patel and RSS

In the beginning, Sardar Patel had a soft corner towards Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and their efforts done in the Hindu interest. But, after Gandhi’s assassination, he banned RSS in 1948.

After banning RSS, he wrote, “All their speeches were fill of communal poison. As a final result of the poison, the country had to suffer the sacrifice of the invaluable life of Gandhiji.”

This ban was finally lifted on 11^th July, 1949. Golwalkar agreed to make certain promises as conditions to revoke the ban. Government of India announced the lifting of the ban and said that the organisation and its leader had promised to be loyal to the constitution and the flag.

11. Sardar Patel’s Economic Ideas

Sardar Patel gave importance to self-reliance. It was among the chief tenets of his economic philosophy. He wanted to see industrialised India quickly. He thought dependence on external resources must be reduced rapidly.

Patel guided the cooperative movements in Gujarat. He helped in setting up of the Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union. It proved to be a game changer for the dairy farming throughout the country.

Sardar advocated for investment-led growth. He stated, “Spend less, save more, and invest as much as possible should be the motto of every citizen.”

Famous Quotes of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Some of Patel’s remarkable quotes are as follows:

1. “My culture is agriculture.”
2. “Work is worship but laughter is life. Anyone who takes life too seriously must prepare himself for a miserable existence. Anyone who greets joys and sorrows with equal facility can really get the best of life.”
3. “We worked hard to achieve our freedom; we shall have to strive harder to justify it”.

Sardar Patel’s Death:

Sardar Patel offered his invaluable services to India. In independent India, could serve for just 3 years. The daring son of India suffered a massive heart attack and took his last breath on 15^th December, 1950 at the age of 75.

Statue of Unity: a tribute to Patel

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was a lifetime Indian National Congress leader. But he was not given due respect by congress. BJP, an opponent party of congress gave him the respect that he deserved.

In 2014, BJP Government led by Mr. Narendra Damodar Modi declared Patel’s birth anniversary, October 31, as Rastriya Ekta Divas i. e. National Unity Day in recognition of Patel’s role as the Unifier of modern India.

BJP Government led by Mr. Narendra Damodar Modi built a statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, at a cost of Rs. 2,989 crore, towering over the Narmada River in Gujrat.

This statue is 182 metre tall. Currently, it is the tallest statue in the world. It is 177 feet taller than China’s Spring Temple Buddha.

Since Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is also known as the Iron Man of India, so, iron to build this statue, has been collected from all over the country.

The statue depicts Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, wearing a traditional dhoti and shawl. This statue has been termed as ‘Statue of Unity’ in the honour of Sardar Patel. It is a tribute to Patel.

Many historians like Ramchandra Guha says that it is ironic that Patel is being claimed by the BJP when he was himself a lifelong Congressman.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor alleges that BJP is trying to hijack the legacy of freedom fighters and national heroes like Patel as they have no leaders of their own in history to celebrate.

Conclusion

Patel was a strong, diligent, visionary and selfless leader. He placed the interests of country above of everything else. He shaped the destiny of India with single-minded devotion.

The invaluable contribution of Sardar Patel in building a modern and integrated India cannot be neglected.  He must be remembered and appreciated by every Indian. He has no match in his dedication and sacrifice for the interests of Mother India.

 

Note: The facts about Sardar Patel have been taken from various books and articles published on Sardar Patel.

The facts have been verified with en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vallabhbhai_Patel