International Journal of Home Science 2023; 9(1): 43-45
ISSN: 2395-7476
IJHS 2023; 9(1): 43-45
© 2023 IJHS
www.homesciencejournal.com
Redefining social relationship: Influence of Mahatma
Received: 28-11-2022 Gandhi on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Accepted: 30-12-2022
Aditi Mondal
Assistant Professor,
Aditi Mondal
Department of Human
Development, Savitri Girls’ DOI: https://doi.org/10.22271/23957476.2023.v9.i1a.1401
College, University of Calcutta,
Kolkata, West Bengal, India Abstract
Sardar Patel is credited for being almost single handedly responsible for unifying India on the eve of
independence. Patel emerged as a hero to Gujarati for Kheda Satyagraha, revolt by refusing the payment
of taxes to British, and admired across India. Regarding partition of India Patel oppose Mahatma
Gandhi’s suggestion. Patel role regarding princely states and Kashmir issue was remarkable. There are
three conditions for the optimum development of an iron or mature personality, which Sardar Patel had.
The conditions are following: Extension of the Self, Self-Objectification, Unifying Philosophy of Life.
Although Sardar Patel adopted with great skill and success Gandhiji’s method of non-violent resistance
to unjust authority, his organizing abilities and his personal style were his own.
Keywords: Sardar Patel, politician, social reformer, influence of Mahatma Gandhi, personality factors
Introduction
Sardar Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel, is remembered as the man who united India. He is, in
this regard, compared to Otto Van Bismark of Germany, who did the same thing in 1860s.
Sardar Patel is credited for being almost single handedly responsible for unifying India on the
eve of independence. Till date, he is regarded as the most successful Home Minister of India.
He won the admiration of many Indians for speaking frankly on the issues of Hindu-Muslim
relations and not shying from using military force to integrate India. His skill of leadership and
practical judgment were appreciated by British Statesman. Some historians have criticized
Patel’s actions on the integration of princely states as undermining the right of self-
determination for those states.
He was also instrumental in the founding the Indian Administrative Service and the Indian
Police Service, and for his defence of Indian civil servants from political attack; he is known
as the "patron saint" of India's services. When a delegation of Gujarati farmers came to him
citing their inability to send their milk production to the markets without being fleeced by
intermediaries, Patel exhorted them to organise the processing and sale of milk by themselves,
and guided them to create the Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers' Union Limited,
which preceded the Amul milk products brand. Patel also pledged the reconstruction of the
ancient but dilapidated Somnath Temple in Saurashtra. He oversaw the restoration work and
the creation of a public trust, and pledged to dedicate the temple upon the completion of work
(the work was completed after his death and the temple was inaugurated by the first President
of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad).
When the Pakistani invasion of Kashmir began in September 1947, Patel immediately wanted
to send troops into Kashmir. But, agreeing with Nehru and Mountbatten, he waited until
Kashmir's monarch had acceded to India. Patel then oversaw India's military operations to
secure Srinagar and the Baramulla Pass, and the forces retrieved much territory from the
Corresponding Author: invaders. Patel, along with Defence Minister Baldev Singh, administered the entire military
Aditi Mondal
effort, arranging for troops from different parts of India to be rushed to Kashmir and for a
Assistant Professor,
Department of Human major military road connecting Srinagar to Pathankot to be built in six months.
Development, Savitri Girls’
College, University of Calcutta,
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
~ 43 ~
International Journal of Home Science https://www.homesciencejournal.com
Beginning of a politician issue was remarkable.
While often clashing with British officials on civil issues, as a
sanitation commissioner of Ahmedabad, Patel did not show Psychology behind an iron or mature personality
any interest in politics. Upon hearing of Mahatma Gandhi, he There are three conditions for the optimum development of an
joked to a friend that, “…Gandhi would ask you know how to iron or mature personality, which Sardar Patel had. The
shift pebbles from wheat. And that is supposed to bring conditions are following:
independence”. But Patel was deeply impressed when Gandhi
defied the British in Champaran for the sake of the area’s 1. Extension of the self
oppressed farmers and Patel was particularly attracted to The developed person is one who has a variety of autonomous
Gandhi’s inclination to action. interests, that is, he can lose himself in work, in
Patel gave a speech in Borsad in September 1917, contemplation, in recreation and in loyalty to others. He
encouraging Indians nationwide to sign Gandhi’s petition (Sardar Patel) participates with warmth and vigor in whatever
demanding, Swaraj from Britain. Patel become the sectary of pursuits have for him acquired value.
the Gujarat Sabha public body which would become the Egocentricity is not the mark of a mature personality.
Gujarat arm of the Indian National Congress, at Gandhi’s Paradoxically, ‘self-expression’ requires the capacity to lose
encouragement. Patel emerged as a hero to Gujarati for Kheda oneself in the pursuit of objectives, not primarily referred to
Satyagraha, revolt by refusing the payment of taxes to British, the self, unless directed outward toward socialized and
and admired across India. In 1920, he was elected president of culturally compatible ends, unless absorbed is caused and
the newly formed Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee – he goals that outshine self seeking and vanity, any life seems
would serve as its president till 1945. dwarfed and immature.
When Gandhi was in prison, Sardar Patel was asked by
Congress to lead the Satyagraha in Nagpur in 1923 against a 2. Self-objectification
law banning the raising of the Indian National Flag. He It is a peculiar detachment of the mature person when he
organized thousands of Volunteers from all over the country surveys his own pretentions in relation to his abilities, his
in processions hoisting the flag. In 1928, after the victory in present objectives in relation to possible objectives for
Bardoli tax-hike, Patel was increasingly addressed by his himself, his own equipments in comparison with the
colleagues and followers as Sardar. equipment of others, and his opinion of himself in relation to
the opinion others hold of him. The capacity for self-
Salt Satyagraha and Indian national movement objectification is ‘insight’, and it is bound in subtle ways with
In 1930 Sardar Patel was imprisoned for participating in the the sense of humour, which as no one will deny is, in one
famous salt Satyagraha called by Mahatma Gandhi his form or another, an almost invariable possession of a
inspiring speeches during this transformed the lives of cultivated and mature personality.
numerous people, who later played a major role in making the
movement successful. 3. Unifying philosophy of life
Sardar Patel was freed in 1931 following an agreement signed Since there is an obvious antithesis between the capacity for
between Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin. The treaty was losing oneself in vigorous participation and the capacity for
popularly known as the Gandhi – Irwin pact. In the same year, standing off contemplating oneself, perhaps with amusement,
at Karachi session, Patel was elected as the president of integrative factor is required in the mature personality,
Indian National Congress and committed itself to the defense namely, a unifying philosophy of life. Such a philosophy is
of fundamental rights and human rights and a dream of a not necessarily articulate, at least not always, articulate in
secular nation. An agreement regarding this was also words. The preacher, by virtue of his training, is usually more
sanctioned. articulate than the busy mature personality participate and
Mahatma Gandhi strongly pressured the All India Congress reflects, lives and laughs. According to some embracing
Committee to approve of an all out quit India campaign of philosophy of life developed to his own satisfaction and
civil disobedience. Patel gave emotional speeches to more presently to himself his place in the scheme of things.
than 100,000 people gathered at Gowalia Tank in Bombay at Sardar Patel’s personality consist all above criteria to be a
7th August, 1942: “…..the governor of Burma boasts in mature politician which also further motivated by Mahatma
London that they left Burma only after reducing everything to Gandhi.
dust. So you promise the same thing to India?.... You refer in Rarely does one encounter a person who seems to be
your radio broadcast and newspapers to the government completely integrated with only one dominant philosophy of
established in Burma by Japan as a puppet government? What life. By this every attitude, trait and individual act must
sort of government do you have in Delhi now? ...When proceed, and for who perfect prediction of conduct is
France fell before the Nazi onslaught, is the midst of total possible. Sardar Patel does all these in redefining social
war, Mr. Churchill offered union with England to the French. relationship. If a personality is rightly understood it will
That was indeed a stroke of inspired statesmanship. But when always be found to be lie under the domination of one
it comes to India? Oh no! Constitutional changes in the midst controlling goal, one ruling passion.
of a war? Absolutely unthinkable… The object this time is to
free India the Japanese can come and be ready to fight them if Conclusion
they come. They will round up the leaders, round up all. Then Although Sardar Patel adopted with great skill and success
it will be the duty of every Indian to put forth his utmost Gandhiji’s method of non-violent resistance to unjust
effort – within non-violence. No source is to be left untapped; authority, his organizing abilities and his personal style were
no weapon untried. This is going to be the opportunity of a his own. In the later respect, especially, his manner was
lifetime”. different from that of Mahatma Gandhi, for he was as apt to
Regarding partition of India Patel oppose Mahatma Gandhi’s threaten and intimidate his opponents as to persuade them
suggestion. Patel role regarding princely states and Kashmir through gentle reason and self-sacrifice. He was known
~ 44 ~
International Journal of Home Science https://www.homesciencejournal.com
especially in his mature years for his ‘iron will’, ‘nerves of
steel’, ‘fearlessness’, ‘personal courage’, ‘bluntness of
speech’ and ‘fighting capacity’. No doubt was ever cast, even
by his enemies and political opponents, on his personal
integrity, devotion to his country, and his ideas, especially for
the independence, self-sufficiency, and unity of India.
References
1. Gandhi, Rajmohan. Patel, a life, Ahmedabad: Navajivan
Pub. House; c1990.
2. Krishna B. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India’s iron man,
New Delhi: Indus; c1995.
3. Panda Sikada. Political Ideas of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel,
Kalpaz Publication.
4. Patel IJ. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, New Delhi:
Publications Division, Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting, Govt of India; c1985.
5. Prabhakar Vishnu. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. New Delhi:
National Book Trust, India. 1977, 1976.
6. Sankardass, Rani Dhavan, Vallabhbhai Patel, power and
organization in Indian politics, New Delhi: Orient
Longman; c1988.
~ 45 ~
