Sardar Patel: Unifier of Modern India

Sardar Patel: Unifier of Modern India

Force behind unification

  • Sardar Patel’s foresight and tactful navigation of the most turbulent period in post-Independence, and the resolve he demonstrated in integrating the more than 500 disparate princely States (565 around) into the Dominion of India.
  • Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, had said: “By far the most important achievement of the present government is the unification of the States into the Dominion of India.
  • Patel was a statesman with a strong sense of real politic, a realist to the core and an earthy politician whose sole aim was to build a strong and united India.
  • Patel’s wisdom, foresight, patriotism, tact, persuasive powers and abiding commitment to fair play enabled him to untangle a highly complex political and social problem without triggering any kind of revolt or civil unrest.

Accession process

  • The limited scope of the Instruments of Accession and the promise of a wide-ranging autonomy and the other guarantees they offered.
  • It gave sufficient comfort to many rulers, who saw this as the best deal they could strike given the lack of support from the British, and popular internal pressures.
  • The biggest problems, however, arose with a few border states, such as Jodhpur, which tried to negotiate better deals with Pakistan, with Junagadh, which did accede to Pakistan, and with Hyderabad and Kashmir, which declared that they intended to remain independent.

Use of coercion when needed by launching ‘Operation Polo’

  • Patel was also compelled to use coercion by launching ‘Operation Polo’ to liberate and integrate Hyderabad after the Nizam of Hyderabad entertained false hopes of either joining Pakistan or remaining independent.
  • In a swift operation lasting five days, Hyderabad State was liberated in September 1948. It was the most critical time when the country’s political unity was in jeopardy, India found the man of the moment in Sardar Patel.
  • He displayed amazing patience, tact and a steely determination in dealing with an intransigent ruler, who refused to see the writing on the wall and even wanted to take the issue to the United Nations.
  • Displaying statesmanship of the highest order, Sardar Patel prevented the attempts to not only Balkanise India but internationalise the issue as well.
  • The complicated case of Junagarh, Gujarat, was also handled with dexterity by Patel. The problem of Jammu and Kashmir may have been resolved long back had Sardar Patel been given a free hand to handle it at that time.

Location: Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India

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