Patel and National Integration
- India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, held this post from 15 August 1947-15 December 1950.
- Born 31 October 1875. Nadiad, Bombay Presidency British India.
- Died – 15 December 1950 (age 75) Bombay, India.
- Nationality - Indian.
- Political party - Indian National Congress.
- Profession - Advocacy, Politics.
Introduction:-
- Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was born on 31 October 1875 in Gujarat.
- Influenced by the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi, he participated in the freedom movement of India.
- He went to London to study as a barrister and came back and started practicing law in Ahmedabad.
- You were an Indian politician popularly known as Sardar Patel.
Role in Freedom Movements:-
- Sardar Patel's first and major contribution to the freedom movement was in the 1918 Standing Struggle.
- He also successfully led the farmers' movement in the Bardoli Satyagraha in 1928.
Bardoli Satyagraha:-
- Sardar Patel led a major peasant movement in Gujarat in the year 1928 during the Indian freedom struggle. At that time the provincial government had increased the rent of the peasants up to thirty percent. Patel strongly opposed this increase in rent.
- After the success of this movement, the women there conferred the title of 'Sardar' to Vallabhbhai Patel.
- Sardar Patel was influenced by Gandhiji's policy of non-violence. Therefore Sardar Patel's role was important in all the freedom movements carried out by Gandhi, such as the Non-cooperation Movement, Swaraj Movement, Dandi Yatra, Quit India Movement.
Kheda Movement:-
- This movement was mainly carried out by the farmers for heavy tax exemption from the British government, on the rejection of which Sardar Patel Gandhi and others danced the peasants.
- The government finally bowed down and tax relief was given that year. This was Sardar Patel's first success.
Role of Sardar Patel in the Karachi session of Congress:-
- Gandhi-Irwin Pact i.e. Delhi Treaty was approved in the Congress session held in Karachi on 29 March 1931.
- It was presided over by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
- It reiterated the goal of 'Purna Swaraj' and praised the valor and sacrifice of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. However, the Congress also reiterated its policy of not supporting any kind of political violence.
Unification of Princely States:-
- After the independence of the country, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel became the first Minister of Home, Information and State Department along with Deputy Prime Minister.
- Created Indian unity by merging 565 small and big princely states into the Indian Union.
- 23 from Orissa, 38 from Nagpur, 250 from Kathiawar and 565 princely states like Mumbai, Punjab were merged into India.
- Sardar Patel annexed all the princely states in India except the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Junagadh and Hyderabad.
- In these three princely states too, Junagadh was merged with the Indian Union on 9 November 1947 and the Nawab of Junagadh fled to Pakistan.
- Hyderabad was the largest princely state of India. The Nizam of Pakistan claimed an independent state with the encouragement of Pakistan and to increase his army, Sardar Patel was alarmed by the import of large quantities of weapons in Hyderabad, so on 11 September 1948, the Indian Army went to Hyderabad in the state. Three days later, the Nizam surrendered and accepted the proposal of accession to India.
Statue of Unity:-
- The Statue of Unity is a memorial dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first Deputy Prime Minister of India and the first Home Minister.
- The Statue of Unity is located in the Indian state of Gujarat. This is the tallest statue in the world. Whose height is 183 meters. After this, the second tallest statue in the world is the Spring Temple Buddha in China, whose height is 180 meters.
Writing work of Sardar Patel:-
- Partition of India
- Gandhi
- Nehru
- Subhash
- Economic and foreign policy
- Muslims and refugees
- Kashmir and Hyderabad and so on .
Honors and Significant Contribution:-
- Sardar Patel guided the integration into an independent nation.
- The airport in Ahmedabad was named Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
- Sardar Patel University was established at Vallabh Vidya Sagar in Gujarat.
- Mahatma Gandhi gave him the title of Iron Man.
- Posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1991.
- The Statue of Unity monument was built in Gujarat in the name of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
- Sardar's greatest contribution was to create Indian unity by merging 565 small and big princely states into the Indian Union.
