Early Times Report
JAMMU, Feb 3: Sardar Vallabhabhai Patel died in Mumbai on December 15, 1950, but the nation continues to recognize his contribution to process of integration of princely states into India even today. On Saturday, many in Delhi invoked Sardar Patel, the first Home Minister of India, on the eve of PM Narendra Modi's visit with a view to drawing the attention of New Delhi to the mess created in J&K by the JL Nehru's follies and also recalled what Sardar Patel had told Nehru about the manner in which he handled J&K.
"The Iron man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, had warned the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, that someday the whole country will cry for your decision which has become true in the present time," they said, and added that "the story is of the time when India got independence and was divided into two nations namely, India and Pakistan". "Soon after this event, the tribals from Pakistan attacked Kashmir with the support of Pakistani Government. Immediately, the then Home Minister of our country Sardar Patel sent the troops to hit back the enemies. The defence forces of our country went ahead winning many battles and threw them from Kashmir," they further said.
They further pointed out: "Soon after attaining independence, Sardar Patel had planned to tour in Assam. Many districts of Assam were made part of the East Pakistan or the present Bangladesh. However, the people of that region were following mostly Christianity and wanted to be part of India. That is why Patel prioritized this work and went to Assam for a tour of 4 days where he spent most of his time meeting people and knowing their concerns. In fact, he also instructed the then Chief Minister of Assam, Gopinath Bardoli and Governor Akbar Haidari that even if he extends his stay in Assam beyond 4 days, then most the programs should be to meet people. He spent quality time with the people there and got to know their difficulties".
They said: "Nehru reached UN without consent of Patel. While Patel was not in Delhi, Nehru, the then Prime Minister decided to reach out to United Nations Organization (UNO). Nehru knew it well that Sardar Patel will not give his consent to reach out to UNO and keeping Patel in confidence was very much important to run the government. That is in Patel's absence; Nehru reached the International Court of Justice".
When Sardar returned to Delhi after completing 4 days tour in Assam, he was shocked to know that Nehru had utilized his absence and had reached out to International Court of Justice to resolve the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
They said that "Patel was badly disappointed", that "he felt very bad for Nehru's decision" and that "the iron man who had faced British, Muslim league and many other obstacles in uniting India were let down by his 'good friend' Nehru'.
Indeed, what Patel told Nehru has turned out to be true with the whole nation paying a heavy price for the blunders Nehru committed in J&K. Today, Kashmir stands totally gripped by secessionist violence and Jammu and Lodakh totally alienated from Kashmir. |
