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. However, now there is neither Nehru nor his family members but 125 crore people of this country and the Kashmiri Pandits.
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 on 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.
However, the decision of the then Prime Minister Nehru not only stunned Patel but became the cause for man slaughtering of Kashmiri Pandits and a long standing issue for India.
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.
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.
Patel was badly disappointed. He felt very bad for Nehru’s decision. The iron man who had faced British, Muslim league and many other obstacles in uniting India were let down by his ‘good friend’ Nehru.
He reflected on the whole incident saying “even a lawyer working at district court knows that if you take a complaint to the court of law, then it is your responsibility to provide proof for the mistakes committed by the accused. But the accused has only job of denying the accusations”
Sardar Patel categorically said that “Jawaharlal Nehru has taken such an incorrect decision that he will have to repent and cry badly one day”.
