PHENOMENAL LEADER OF INDIA
Vallabh bhai patel was born on 31st October 1875 at Nadiad in
Gujarat, popularly known as “IRONMAN” of India. He was one of the
most influential freedom fighterand social leader of India during
Indian freedom movement. He is always appreciated for accomplishing the
integration of princely states of India. In India and across the world, he is
known as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel,where Sardar stands for Chief in
many languages of India.
The Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Leadership Qualities :
1) Formidable Vallabhbhai Patel was a man with a sense of reality:
Reality
which could hurt but nevertheless had to be faced. He was said to have complete
and firm control over the organization of his party (Congress) and became the
first deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of the newly freed India.
.jpg)
2) Determination and ability to take definite decisions.
J B Kriplani counts, shrewdness, determination,
administrative capacity, and the ability to take definite decisions at all
important occasions, as some of his chief characteristics. He also notes that
Sardar could not bear opposition and he saw to it that those who opposed
him had to pay the price. Later in the day, Mountbatten changed his view
and called him as hysterical as the rest of the Congress Leaders.
This happened due to a change in Patel’s stance about CHT, where he wrote
stating that if it were imposed in East Bengal, the people would be
justified in resisting this award by force and the Central government
would be bound to support them.
.jpg)
3) SAM-DAM-DAND-BHED (साम-दाम-दंड-भेद)
Among the feathers in the Patel cap are counted the merger
of more than 500 princely states into the newly formed Union of India. 550
states out of 560 had Hindu kings ruling over Hindu populace, their blending
came comparatively easier with a promise that their riches would not get
affected. But the real brain behind this is said to be V.P.Menon who
was amongst the personal staff of Mountbatten, and often described as closer to
Sardar Patel. Formidable Sardar’s approach was often mixed. Even the British
officials accepted that they couldn’t have done it without or better than him.
.jpg)
4) Ability to use available resources in timely and effective manner
When
the ruler of Manipur resisted the full integration into the Union, Patel
thought out aloud, Isn’t there a brigadier in Shillong? After that it was only
a matter of days that this problem was solved. It was for his steely resolve
that the Union of India is what we see today. This steely touch and
unambiguous stand might be missed in the days of Telangana turmoils.
.jpg)
5)Effective Planning and Execution
Operation Polo or, Action’ the annexation of Hyderabad from
the State of Nizam and Junagarh, both with Muslim rulers also go to his credit.
Patel was the chief architect of both the annexations, especially the latter,
in which thousands of Muslims lost their lives. It was Sardar Patel who
appointed General Choudhary as army in charge and K.M.Munshi as regent, known
for his strong Muslim bias who accomplished the task.
.jpg)
Sardar With Nizam of Hyderabad
Sardar Patel’s Equation with Other Leaders
His relations with other leaders of the time make an interesting reading. It is surprising to know that Moulana Azad is said to have told Humayun Kabir, editor of his biography, India Wins Freedom ,that he made the mistake of choosing the wrong candidate for Congress president, had he proposed Patel’s name instead of Nehru’s, then, he would have evolved into a prime minister and would have proved to be a better one than his closest friend Nehru. It has always been a million dollar question as to why Mahatma Gandhi chose Nehru over Patel. Perry Anderson tries to reply, “Gandhi who had always sought to remain on good terms with the British , had picked Nehru as his successor partly on the grounds that he was culturally equipped (to) get on so well with them, as Patel or other candidates were not.”
The general impression about Sardar Patel is that of being anti-Muslim. The second last Viceroy of India Lord Wavell [1944-47] dubs him as ‘communal and anti-Muslim’. Wavell thought of Sardar Patel as the only one of the congressmen capable of standing up to Gandhi.
Such a great was the Iron Man of India .......... and I feel proud to be Indian.
Jai Hind.
Watch More Such Videos and Articles: