Run for Unity: Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel – Rashtriya Ekta Divas (National Day of Unity)

After My Clean India – Swatch Bharat Abhiyan, now our Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid rich tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on Friday, on the occasion of his birth anniversary, calling him the “architect of Modern India”.

“The country which forgets history can never create history, so for a country filled with aspirations, a country whose youth has a dream, we should not forget our personalities of history…. The country should not divide history and legacy according to our ideologies.” PM Narendra Modi said on the occasion of the event to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhai Patel.

 

The prime minister paid floral tributes at the statue of independent India’s first home minister at Patel Chowk, Parliament Street, at 7.30am and thereafter addressed the participants of the ‘Run for Unity’ at Vijay Chowk at 7.40am.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was one of the great social leaders of India. He played a crucial role during the freedom struggle of India and was instrumental in the integration of over 500 princely states into the Indian Union. Despite the choice of the people, on the request of Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel stepped down from the candidacy of Congress president. The election on that occasion eventually meant for the election of the first Prime Minister of independent India.

About Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Birth : October 31, 1875

Birth Place : Karamsad, Nadiad town, Gujarat

Early Life spent in : Karamsad, Petlad and Nadiad.

Parents : Father Jhaverbhai, a farmer, and mother Laad Bai, a simple lady

Wife : Jhaberaba, who passed away at a very early age

Children : Daughter Maniben (Born in 1904); Son Dahyabhai (Born in 1905)

Death : December 15, 1950

Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was born on October 31, 1875 in Gujarat to Zaverbhai and Ladbai. Vallabhbhai, His father had served in the army of the Queen of Jhansi while his mother was a very spiritual man.

Starting his academic career in a Gujarati medium school Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and shifted to an English medium school. In 1897, Vallabhbhai passed his high school examination and started preparing for law examination. 1910, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel went to England to study law. He completed his law studies in 1913 and came back to India and started his law practice. For his Excellencies in Law, Vallabhbhai was offered many lucrative posts by the British Government but he rejected all. He was a staunch opponent of the British government and its laws and therefore decided not to work for the British.

He later started practicing at Ahmedabad. After a meeting with Mahatma Gandhi, at the Gujarat Club, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel got influenced by Gandhi’s words. Later, inspired by Gandhi’s work and philosophy Patel became a staunch follower of him.

In 1917, Sardar Vallabhbhai was elected as the Secretary of the Gujarat Sabha. The next year, when there was a flood in Kaira, the British insisted on collecting tax from the farmers. Sardar Vallabhbhai led a massive “No Tax campaign” that urged the farmers not to pay their land. The peaceful movement forced the British authority to return then land taken away from the farmers His effort to bring together the farmers of his area brought him the title of ‘Sardar’ to his name.

In 1928, the farmers of Bardoli faced a similar problem of “tax-hike”. After prolonged summons, when the farmers refused to pay the extra tax, the government in retaliation seized their lands. Vallabhbhai Patel. The agitation took on for more than six months and after a deal struck between the government and farmer’s representatives, the lands were returned.

In 1930 Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was imprisoned for participating in the famous Salt Satyagraha called by Mahatma Gandhi. His inspiring speeches during the “Salt Movement” transformed the lives of numerous people, who later played a major role in making the movement successful.

Sardar Patel was freed in 1931 following an agreement signed between Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy of India. The treaty was popularly known as the Gandhi-Irwin pact. The same year, Patel was elected as the president of Indian National Congress Party for its Karachi session.

In the Karachi session, the Indian National Congress Party committed itself to the defence of fundamental rights and human rights and a dream of a secular nation. An agreement regarding this was also sanctioned.

In 1934, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel led the all-India election campaign for the Indian National Congress. Though he did not contest a seat for himself, Sardar Patel helped his fellow party mates during the election.

Sardar Patel was annoyed at Jawaharlal Nehru for the latter’s declarations of the adoption of socialism in 1936. Patel also considered Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose a “keen of more power within the party.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s health declined in 1950. He, himself realized that he was not going to live much longer. On 2 November his health deteriorated further and was confined to bed. After suffering a massive heart attack, on 15 December 1950, the great soul left the world.

The great man died in 1950 and Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel always been immortalized in history.

Sardar Patel brought the nation together and this tribute, the Statue of Unity, will bring the country national pride. This unique initiative of the Gujarat government aims at building the World Largest Statue, a structure that will be 182m tall. Standing tall opposite one of the biggest dams in the world will be this monument that will, just like Sardar’s spirit and will, surpass the rest. Visitors at this statue will be able to get a panoramic view of the picturesque surrounding from a height of almost 400feet. A monument, that will not just be a mute memorial like the rest, but a fully functional, purpose-serving tribute that will boost tourism and facilitate development in the surrounding tribal areas. The grand monument will be placed directly facing the Narmada Dam, which has also been named after the Iron Man of India, at a distance of 3.2km at the Sadhu Bet.

Source: With PTI inputs

Run for Unity: Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel – Rashtriya Ekta Divas (National Day of Unity)