Heartfelt tributes to Sardar Patel on his 137th birth anniv

Sardar Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel, who hailed from Gujarat was a stalwart of the freedom struggle and the first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of independent India and regarded as the "Bismarck of India" and "Iron Man of India", was born on Oct 31, 1875, in a small village in Nadiad.

Patel was one of the leaders of the Indian National Congress and one of the founding fathers of the Republic of India. Known as a social leader of India, he had played an unparalleled role in the country's struggle for independence.

As a mark of respect, Patel's portrait was unveiled on Apr 23, 1958 in the Parliament by Rajendra Prasad, the then President.

A great son of Gujarat Narendra Modi, in his blog, has expressed his heartfelt tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 137th birth anniversary. In a veiled attack on Congress, Modi said that Sardar Patel was given the Bharat Ratna 41 years after his death. "Ironically, Sardar saheb has not got his dues from the same party to which he devoted his entire life," Modi asserted.

"What could be more unfortunate than the fact that Sardar Patel was honoured with Bharat Ratna in 1991, a full 41 years after his demise?" Modi added.

Attributing the "turbulence" in Kashmir to Patel, Modi said, "It was Sardar Patel's swiftness that ensured Kashmir was not taken away by Pakistan just a couple of months after Independence. This was the only province with which he was not given a free hand."

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Leader of the Lok Sabha and union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, Deputy Speaker Kariya Munda and senior BJP leader LK Advani paid floral tributes to Patel in Parliament House.

Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Paban Singh Ghatowar, Minister of State for Labour and Employment Kodikunnil Suresh, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and the Prime Minister's Office Shri V Narayanasamy, Secretary General of Rajya Sabha Shumsher K Sheriff and other senior officials were among others who paid tribute to Sardar Patel.

OneIndia News