Anand, Nov 27 The second day of the Sardar@150 National Unity Padyatra, held in Asodar in Anand district, turned into a reflection on India’s civilizational roots and the towering legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Tamil Nadu Governor R. N. Ravi, addressing the gathering, said India is passing through a defining moment in its history, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership has taken the nation to unprecedented heights with a combination of moral clarity and practical vision.
The Governor highlighted Sardar Patel’s unmatched contribution to the nation, describing the journey from the land of his work to the world’s tallest statue in Kevadia as a symbolic arc of India’s unity.
He stated that no community or nation that fails to honour its ancestors can move forward, and referred to Sardar Patel as a “path-breaking visionary” whose contributions shaped the structure of modern India.
Recalling history, Ravi listed three defining achievements of Patel — his role in securing India’s independence, the integration of 562 princely states, and the historic peasant movement in Bardoli.
He emphasised that Patel was not just Gujarat’s Sardar but India’s truest Sardar, a title given by Mahatma Gandhi himself in the presence of Jawaharlal Nehru.
He added that while Bismarck spoke of the “policy of blood and iron,” in India, only Patel truly embodied the moral authority behind the title of the Iron Man.
The Governor also explained the immense complexity of merging princely states that had their own armies, treasuries, and police forces. Without Patel’s determination, he said, India’s independence would have remained incomplete. He remarked that had Patel overseen the Kashmir issue, many of today’s challenges would not exist.
Union Minister of State S. P. Singh Baghel, who joined the event as a special guest, praised Patel as the “architect, unifier, and great hero” of India’s oneness.
Baghel said that although attempts were made for decades to minimise Patel’s presence in history books, he remained deeply rooted in the hearts of Indians.
He thanked Prime Minister Modi for restoring Patel’s rightful place in national consciousness and lauded the extraordinary enthusiasm visible during the padyatra.
Reflecting on history, Baghel explained how the British left behind over 562 princely states as potential independent entities, and how Patel united them within two years through a rare blend of firmness and diplomacy.
He highlighted the internal political challenges Patel faced, noting that even the then-Prime Minister hesitated to act firmly on Hyderabad, whereas Patel pushed ahead for complete national integration.
Baghel also credited Patel for strengthening Mahatma Gandhi’s mass movement and recalled key moments — from ending exploitative practices like veth pratha, to leading the Nagpur flag satyagraha when the tricolour was banned.
He said Gandhi had entrusted Patel with the responsibility of carrying forward the non-cooperation movement while he was imprisoned, proof of the deep trust between the two leaders.
The event began with a welcome address by Deputy Collector Jagdish Makwana, who outlined the vision behind the Sardar Gatha. Several community leaders from Asodar were honoured during the ceremony. MP Mitesh Patel, MLA Chirag Patel, district panchayat president Hasmukh Patel, and other dignitaries were present along with villagers in large numbers.
--IANS
janvi/dan
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor