“Our mutual conflicts and internecine quarrels
and jealousies have in the past been the cause of our downfall and our falling
victims to foreign domination a number of times. We cannot afford to fall into
those errors or traps again.”
–Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel
Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel was the maker of political-geographical unity of India that
it never had in its entire history. For this mammoth achievement, he is truly
called the Maker of United India. In
his persona Sardar Patel possessed so many characteristics of which commitment
to discipline, firm determination, management and taking quick and appropriate
decision were the foremost. These characteristics made him a unique leader,
organizer and administrator. In his exceptional way of working Sardar Patel was
matchless and he still is unparallel. If it was not so, the task of merger of
more than 550 scattered princely states into the Indian Union in a short period
of just a few weeks soon after its independence from the English in 1947 was
rather difficult. In other words, the work of India’s unity was not so easy. It
was also not easy to handle the situation, which emerged due to the partition
of the country into two –India and Pakistan, particularly pertaining to
exchange of population [lacs in number], communal upsurge and crackdown in
administration. Anti-social and anti-national elements were active both,
internally and externally to disintegrate the nation, and protecting India from
them was a mammoth task. But, it was the firm determination of the Great Sardar
for which he used to say himself that “we are not going to let the grass grow under
our feet” and it was the charisma of his multifaceted personality that
India could survive through the toughest phase in its socio-political history.
India could be united and rebuilding work of the nation could be started and,
thus, a new chapter in golden letters could be added in its glorious history.
Undoubtedly, the role and contribution of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in the
process of integration and rebuilding of India immediately after the freedom
and in the first three-four years of its independence remained outstanding and
unprecedented. For this gigantic job, Sardar Patel will be remembered by
Indians for hundreds and thousands of years. He will always remain alive in the
pages of Indian history and his compatriots will definitely be proud of their
Sardar –Vallabhbhai Patel.
II
Along
with this, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel deserves appreciation and respect of
international community, people around the world, besides India, for the legacy
he left through his ideas and works for one and all on this planet. What legacy
has he left for his successive generations, is a question that could naturally
emerge in one’s mind.
In
answer, first of all, his practical approach in the implementation of Ahimsa-centred Gandhian way to establish
justice is worth a mention. It was Sardar Patel who accorded the best and the
most practical dimension to the Gandhian method through a dozen Satyagrahs, from the Non-Cooperation
[1920] to the Quit India Movement [1942]. In this regard Sardar’s
organizational ability, planning and strategy remained unique; it is still
matchless and exemplary for the whole world, for those in particular who wish
to carry out activities through the Gandhian way or the method.
Secondly, value-based views and works of
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel are no less important. Especially, his stress on
value-based politics and society, and work accomplished by him accordingly are
subject of analysis. Sardar Patel in his entire public life remained committed
to values at all levels and in all walks of life. Particularly, in political
sphere he never seemed lacking behind morality and ethics. Rather, the manner
in which he came forward to protect autonomy of democratic values, for their
honour/respect and maturity that is extraordinary and ideal. He was of the firm
opinion that “democracy and democratic institutions can function efficiently only
where the unit to which these are applied can subsist in a fairly autonomous
existence.” These views of Sardar Patel are exemplary and significant
for people of nations of the world where democracies are in function. Further,
it is the legacy of the Sardar he left for all those who are concerned with
democratic values and wish for matured and real democracy.
Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel wished for a prosperous and unified world. He particularly wished
for a strong and prosperous India to defend the whole of humanity. He was of
the opinion that Hindustan, taking it as its foremost responsibility should
contribute towards the development of the whole world. It was in this very
context that he played an important role for India’s association with
international organizations like the Commonwealth and the United Nations
Organization and desired them to work according to the spirit they possessed.
It is
an irony that people are not much familiar of ideas and work of Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel. Why? I do not want to go in details pertaining to this
reality. However, I urge all –Indians and people around the world to analyze
Sardar’s thoughts and brood over their timelessness. If it is done, I am sure
they will find them worth consideration in current perspective, exemplary and
significant.
No comments:
Post a Comment