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Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/

ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 03 Issue 01

January 2017

Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 214

Invaluable Contribution of Sardar Patel

in Building a Modern and Unified India

Vijay Kumar Mishra

Assistant Professor Department of Political Science Mangla Devi Memorial Degree College

Masika Naini Allahabad

Abstract

This research article focus on the political contribution of Sardar Vallabhai Patel to the Indian

politics. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Contribution in Building the Modern India Sardar

Vallabhbhai Patel is one of the Most Popular Leaders of India who is respected by almost

everyone in India. He was the First Deputy PM of India. Vallabh Bhai Patel was an Indian

barrister and statesman, one of the leaders of the Indian National Congress. He had known to be

social leader of India who played a major role in the country's struggle for independence and

guided its integration into a united, independent nation. Even with his pre-occupation with

integrating princely states into the Union, rehabilitating and resettling the victims of Partition- the refugees from East and West Pakistan, closely supervising the organizational affairs of the

Indian National Congress and the day-today administration of the Home and State Ministries, he

spared more than enough time he could afford for the deliberations in the Constituent Assembly

and piloted some of the most important parts of the Constitution.

Keywords: Democracy, constitution, Indian politics. Executive council, unify, Occupation.

INTRODUCTION

Sardar Patel, the architect and unifier of

modern India, was not only a close associate

of Mahatma Gandhi but also his ardent

follower. Patel was a selfless leader, who

placed the country’s interests above

everything else and shaped India’s destiny

with single-minded devotion. Popularly

known as the Iron Man of India, Sardar

Vallabhbhai Patel was one of the founding

fathers of the Republic of India. A statesman

of integrity, he played a quintessential role

in helping India garner independence from

the British rule. However, his role in the

independence struggle did not end with just

that as he was the man who guided the

country to become a united, independent

nation. Born in a Gujarati family, Patel was

academically trained to become a lawyer.

However, inspired by the works and

teachings of Gandhi, he switched to give his

life for the Indian struggle for independence.

One of the leaders of the Indian National

Congress, he raised to prominence in his

home state for his outstanding work of

saving peasants of Gujarat from the

oppressive policies imposed by the British

Raj, through non-violent civil disobedience.

Political contribution of Sardar Vallabhai

Patel: Although Patel never developed a

systematic set of ideas for India's political

development, economic policies, or foreign

relations; he had strong views on many

matters, which were expressed in his actions

and statements. He stood for the

transformation of India into a major

industrial power, which he thought could be

achieved only by a strong, centralized state.

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Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

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Volume 03 Issue 01

January 2017

Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 215

Although not averse to a governmental role

in industrial development and agrarian

transformation, he did not support assaults

against private industrial and commercial

enterprises. He was sharply critical of and

opposed politically the communist and

socialist parties and their leaders, whose

ideas he considered unrealistic and

irrelevant to Indian society and economy. In

agriculture he supported the rights of

peasant proprietors against both the former

landlords and the state. He opposed the

demands for the reorganization of the

internal boundaries of the Indian states on

linguistic grounds as a potential threat to

Indian unity, and favored the adoption of

Hindi as the official language of the country.

As home minister he used his powers of

arrest to stave off militant Sikh demands in

Delhi for a special status for the Sikhs in

Punjab. Although he declared his belief in

the secular ideology of the Indian state, head

opted a patronizing attitude towards the

Muslims who remained in India after

partition, while on the other hand accepting

as patriotic Indians the members of the

militant Hindu organization, the Rashtriya

Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He disputed the

complicity of this organization in the murder

of Mahatma Gandhi and urged an early

removal of the ban imposed on it after

Gandhi's assassination. However, Patel took

a much stronger stand against communists:

he successfully piloted the Preventive

Detention Act through parliament in

February 1950; it was intended to strengthen

the government's ability to detain

communists in goal for longer periods

without trial than the courts were willing to

allow.

Political ideas and values of Sardar Patel

The book further analyses, Patel’s pattern of

political values, his concept of Nation-State

and his role as a nation-builder. The scheme

does merge in an unambiguous process to

bring out the thought process of Patel. The

numerous responses to various issues that

were contentious are discussed such as

rights, liberty, equality and justice.

His vision of State was in tune with the

pattern of his political values. In his concept,

the State was founded and held together by a

high sense of nationalism and patriotism.

Individual liberty was to be in conformity

with the provisions of the Constitution, to

create a Nation-State, he pressed for the

emancipation of backward communities and

women and bring about Hindu-Muslim unity

through the Gandhian constructive

programme and skillfully utilised the higher

castes for social integration and political

mobilisation. Thus, he strengthened the

plural basis of the nation-state by bringing

electoral participation as effective political

mobilisation. He saw a nation as

‘democratic in structure, nationalistic in

foundation and welfarist in spirit and

function’.

Major achievements of Sardar Patel’s:

1. Patel was the backbone of Gandhi’s

satyagrahas. During the Dandi March in

1930, he played the roleof John the Baptist

to Gandhi as a forerunner who “baptized”

people en route. In a speech as Wasna, on

his way to Dandi, Gandhi admitted: “I could

succeed in Kheda [in 1918] on account of

Vallabhbhai, and it is on account of him that

I am here today.”

2. In the Bardoli Satyagraha in 1928, Patel

played the role of a Lenin. The British- owned and edited Times of India wrote that

Patel had “instituted there a Bolshevik

regime in which he plays the role of Lenin”.

3. Briefly discussed is what would have

been India’s position in Kashmir, Tibet and

Nepal had Patel’s proposals been

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Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

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Volume 03 Issue 01

January 2017

Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 216

implemented. Kashmir had been taken away

from Patel’s charge by Nehru under Sheikh

Abdullah’s pressure, while Tibet and Nepal

were foreign territories directly under

Nehru’s charge.

4. Philip Mason (ICS) has written in the

Dictionary of National Biography: “Patel

has been compared to Bismarck but the

parallel cannot be carried far. Patel was

courageous, honest and realistic, but far

from cynical.”

Protection for Minorities by Sardar Patel

The Advisory Committee had set up various

sub-committees to effectively deal with the

topic of protection to minorities-tribals and

excluded areas. The Minorities Sub- Committee chaired by H.C. Mookherjee

included, among others, members belonging

to scheduled castes, Muslims, Parsees and

Anglo- Indians. All members of the

Constituent Assembly were overwhelmed

and depressed by the events of pre-Partition

period, communal riots and post- Partition

holocaust. What protection should be

granted to religious, ethnic and linguistic

minorities was engaging the attention of

Constitution makers. Muslims, who

remained in India, had still not disabused

their minds of the sinister two-nation theory

preached and propagated by the All India

Muslim League. Therefore, they appeared to

be keen to have separate electorates for

minorities which carried the germ of

vivisection, separation and partition of the

motherland. The sub-committee, after

formulating its proposals with regard to

constitutional protection to be guaranteed to

minorities, submitted the same to the

Advisory Committee. The committee

deliberated at length on the proposals. The

bone of contention was separate electorates

versus joint electorates with reservations of

seats in legislatures and services.

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day)

was introduced by the Government of India

and inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister

Narendra Modi in 2014. The intent is to pay

tribute to Patel, who was instrumental in

keeping India united. It is to be celebrated

on 31 October every year as annual

commemoration of the birthday of the Iron

Man of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, one

of the founding leaders of Republic of India.

The official statement for Rashtriya Ekta

Diwas by the Home Ministry of India cites

that the National Unity Day "will provide an

opportunity to re-affirm the inherent

strength and resilience of our nation to

withstand the actual and potential threats to

the unity, integrity and security of our

country."

National Unity Day celebrates the birthday

of Patel because, during his term as Home

Minister of India, he is credited for the

integration of over 550 independent princely

states into India from 1947-49 by

Independence Act (1947). He is known as

the "Bismarck of India". The celebration is

complemented with the speech of Prime

Minister of India followed by the "Run for

Unity".[121] The theme for 2016

celebrations was "Integration of India"

Conclusion:

We may, conclude with a tribute paid to him

by none other than Jawaharlal Nehru who

said: History will record it in many pages

and call Sardar Patel the builder and

consolidator of the new India and say many

other things about him. By many of us he

will perhaps be remembered as a great

captain of our forces in the struggle for

freedom and as one who gave us sound

advice both in times of trouble and in

moments of victory, a friend and colleague

and comrade of whom one could invariably