‘Sardar Patel was the only national leader who could unite a divided India then’

Chakravarthy Sulibele releases book ‘Ekatheya Saradara – Sardar Vallabhbhai Patelara Jeevana – Sadhane’

Mysore/Mysuru: Writer and noted Orator Chakravarthy Sulibele said, there was no tall leader in the country as Vallabhbhai Patel in those times, who could unify the entire country under a single precept.

He was speaking after releasing the book ‘Ekatheya Saradara – Sardar Vallabhbhai Patelara Jeevana – Sadhane,’ authored by G.S. Bhatta, at a programme organised under the joint aegis of District Sharana Sahitya Parishat, H.V. Rajeev Sneha Balaga, Innovative Mysuru and Bharathi Prakashana, at Sri Shivarathri Rajendra Bhavan in JSS Hospital premises here yesterday.

Noting that as per his studies, there was no other leader in the country other than Patel who could bond the entire country under a single precept, Sulibele said that though Subhash Chandra Bose had the capability, he had already left the country then.

Stating that Patel sacrificed everything for the sake of the country, he said that Patel had such greatness that he never crossed the words of Mahatma Gandhi. Pointing out that Patel sacrificed the Prime Minister’s chair to his junior Jawaharlal Nehru following a direction from Gandhiji, Sulibele said that Patel, who became the Home Minister, would have acceded the whole of Kashmir with India, had Nehru not interfered then. Terming the nomination of Nehru as the Chief of Congress party and later his appointment as the Prime Minister as a historical blunder, he claimed  that though Patel was associated with the Congress for decades, he was not a happy man in the party.

Maintaining that such books are very much the need of the hour at a time when there is lack of understanding on the life of Statesmen and other such great personalities, Sulibele regretted that the younger generation of the country was facing a dearth of role models. 

Expressing disappointment that youth are not attracted to  great achievers from fields other than Cricket and Cinema, he underlined the importance of introducing iconic leaders like Sardar Patel to the present generation.

Calling upon all politicians of the country to read about Sardar Patel, he said that such a reading will help them in developing leadership qualities that can take the county forward in all aspects. Regretting the tendency to restrict top leaders only to their community or State, he said that what ails the country today is that we are not following the principles, ideals and legacies left behind by great leaders of pre-independence and post-independence eras.

Contending that Patel got the respect that was really due to him with the installation of the ‘Statue of Unity’ in Gujarat, his home State, Sulibele said, it is heartening to note that the present Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is striving for realising the dreams that  Sardar Patel had for the country.

Referring to the construction of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, he said that the people of the country have donated generously for the cause and so far Rs. 2,000 crore fund has been collected. This shows that the country is not facing a dearth of funds and resources, despite the COVID-19 crisis, which has caused untold havoc across the globe.

Former Vice-Chancellor of University of Mysore and KSOU Prof. K.S. Rangappa presided.

District Sharana Sahitya Parishat President M. Chandrashekar, Secretary Vachana Kumaraswamy, noted Co-operator Jagadish Hebbar Karija, the book author G.S. Bhatta and others were present.

This post was published on March 14, 2021 6:34 pm