IRON MAN AND IRON LADY

                                               

Oct 31 is a  doubly important day for the birth of one politician and the death of another. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was born on this day while Smt Indira Gandhi was assassinated on this day of 1984. While the Sardar became famous as the Iron Man, she also is known as the Iron Lady. Both of them earned this laudable epithet for their bold decisions.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (Oct 31,1875 – Dec 5, 1950), a kisan and lawyer by profession, joined the freedom  movement under Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership. In the shadow of Gandhi, though known for his commitments, he did not shine as he rose to eminence in free India. He was junior to Gandhi by six years and senior to Pt Nehru by 14 years. So he often worked as a balancing force between the indigenous Gandhi and westernized Nehru. Despite deserving to be the premier, Gandhi preferred Nehru and Sardar amicably conceded. He could not prevail on Nehru who favoured partition of the country. Similarly, his strong stand on J&K also did not find favour and the matter was internationalized. However, his most astounding achievement was the taming of 562 princely states and keep the country united. For these reasons, when the truth has started unraveling, Sardar is commanding more and more respect after his death.

In recognition of his yeoman’s services, Gujarat Govt, under the leadership of Narendra Modi is going to install an 182 meter high iron statue at Sadhu Bet, a small island, three KM away from the Sardar sarowar Dam, which will be  the tallest in the world so far. Named as the Statue of Unity, it is twice the height of the US  Statue of Liberty. At the estimated cost of Rs 2,500 crore, it will be ready in three years when it will emerge as an important tourist destination in Gujarat.

Mrs Gandh became famous for some very bold decisions like liberating herself from party satraps, abolition of princely purses and nationalization of banks. The only and perhaps the biggest flaw in her personality was the promulgation of Emergency in 1975. Had she died before 1977, the blot could have remained with her name for good. But wisely by withdrawing the Emergency in 1977 and holding the general election, which she lost, she absolved herself from that slur.