SPEECH OF HON'BLE GOVERNOR PUNJAB AND ADMINISTRATOR UT CHANDIGARH SHRI BANWARILAL PUROHIT ON THE OCCASION OF 146TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF SARDAR VALLABHBHAI PATEL AT CHANDIGARH ON OCTOBER 31, 2021

It gives me great pleasure to be here today on the occasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel 146th birth anniversary in Chandigarh. Sardar Patel was known as the Iron Man of India. Where others wavered he stood like a rock. Where others faltered he led the way. And where others made compromises he upheld the national interest as paramount and successfully steered India, towards the dawn of political freedom.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel championed for our national unity and integration. "Ek Bharat" was his mantra. As citizens of this largest democratic country, we over 135 crore Indians should pledge to strengthen this unity and join hands to make our country the foremost nation and the leader in all spheres.

Sardar Patel's farsighted vision, courage, determination and brilliant strategies united our leaders in the nation's freedom movement. He dedicated his life for the solidarity of our nation. For the first time in the Indian History stretched over ages and also in the history of the world, India became united. Thanks to Sardar Patel the map of Independent India was redrawn with every Princely State, merging with the Union of India. Sardar's amazing leadership and diplomacy integrated more than 565 Princely States under the Indian Union. We owe a lot to this great leader, organisational genius, the architect of United India who weaved our nation into unity travelling the length and breadth after partition.

Patel was a senior leader in the Constituent Assembly of India and was responsible in large measure for shaping India's constitution. Probably you all know, Patel was a key force behind the appointment of Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar as the Chairman of the drafting committee and the inclusion of leaders from a diverse political spectrum in the process of writing the constitution.

His intervention was key to the passage of two article that protected civil servants from political interference and guaranteed their terms and privileges. He was also instrumental in the founding of the Indian Administrative Service and the Indian Police Service and hence he is known as the 'Patron Saint' of India's civil services.

Disciplined life is important for an individual. Some think that it is the education alone makes one great; it is the education along with good conduct, character and discipline that really makes one great. The youth of this nation should be made aware of Sardar Patel's great patriotism and his quality of discipline, simple living and high thinking.

I would like to quote a few instances of his being sacrificing all through his life:

An incident when Sardar Patel was young highlights his character. He wanted to go to England for higher legal studies. He booked a ticket for himself -- which came in the name V.J. Patel. Those initials matched with those of his elder brother Vitthalbhai Patel -- V.J. Patel.

The elder brother, too, wanted to go to England for higher studies. So, the brothers decided that the elder brother would go to England. Vallabhbhai Patel did not waste a minute in deciding that his elder brother would go to England instead of himself. Later, Vallabhbhai, too, went to England two years after his wife?s death, and completed the course in top position. This incident marked a special trait of his personality -- he never craved for personal achievement of any sort. He always kept larger interest above personal interest.

This trait came to fore on several occasions later in life. In 1946, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru wanted Acharya Kripalani to be Congress President instead of Sardar Patel, and Patel quietly moved aside. Again, at Wardha, Mahatma Gandhi declared, ?...not Rajaji, not Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, but Jawahar will be my successor. ... When I am gone, he will speak my language.? Sardar Patel just obeyed Mahatmaji and Pandit Nehru became India?s first Prime Minister, with Sardar as Deputy Prime Minister. Sometime later, Sardar was made Home Minister of India and Nehru described him as ?the strongest pillar of the Cabinet?. As Deputy Prime Minister in 1947, Sardar Patel along with K.M. Munshi vowed to rebuild Somnath Temple.

The start of Sardar Patel?s public life was, however, accidental. In 1917, he met Mahatma Gandhi at Godhra in Gujarat, and his life changed. One year later, he gave up his roaring legal practice to become a full-time Congress worker. In 1923, he led Zenda Satyagrah at Nagpur, and became nationally accepted leader.

In 1928, he led a massive farmers? agitation in Bardoli when he earned the epithet of ?Sardar?, and Motilal Nehru recommended his name as Congress President to Gandhiji.

In 1930, Sardar Patel got arrested ?without evidence? in Salt Satyagraha. In 1931, he became congress President -- advocated principle of fundamental rights, secular nationhood, minimum wages to workers and abolition of untouchability. He also fought a successful battle for the return of farmers? confiscated lands in Gujarat.

Another highlight in his life was his successful leadership of 1942 Civil Disobedience movement. His speech at Mumbai?s Gawalia Tank Ground was considered iconic.

Gandhi did choose Pandit Nehru as his successor and Sardar Patel just stepped aside. But his popularity within Congress was fantastic -- which is proved by the fact that in 1946, as many as 12 out of 15 Pradesh Congress Committees favoured him as Congress President over Pandit Nehru. Then Nehru played a smart card. Knowing Sardar Patel's personality, he suggested Acharya Kripalani?s name as Congress President and Patel moved aside.

This is how, Sardar Patel often favour larger interest over his personal one.

I appeal to all of you to draw inspiration from Sardar Patel. His life is a message. His devotion to duty, discipline, courage and preparedness to sacrifice his life for the cause of the nation, are the qualities which one has to learn and adopt in life to build a harmonious and prosperous India.

About three years back we had witnessed another historic moment in the India history, when Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi unveiled 182m tall statue of Sardar Patel in Gujarat the world's tallest statue has been aptly named as the "Statue of Unity". The Sardar was indeed the unifier of India.

Let us follow in his footsteps and propagate the message of his life far and wide so as to inspire millions of young men and women to join us on the noble journey of serving the nation with selfishness and devotion.



Thank you,
Jai Hind.