GREATEST POLITICAL LEADER

Mr. V. J. Patel said they had met there under the shadow of a great calamity. Deshbandhu Das, the greatest political leader of India, had gone. He was the Mayor of Calcutta under the new municipal Constitution and he sacrificed his all in the cause of his country. He was a great soul and it was with a heavy heart that he (Mr. Patel) rose to move the resolution asking the Corporation to adjourn the meeting.

Mr. Patel then moved:

1. That the Corporation place on record their sense of the heavy loss sustained by the country in the sad and untimely death on the 16th June 1~25 of Deshbandhu Chitta Ranjan Das Mayor of the Calcutta Corporation, whose ardent patriotism, deep and abiding love for the Motherland, selfless devotion to her cause and noble self-sacrifice in her service won for him the esteem and admiration of his countrymen who regard his death at the present Juncture as a national calamity.
2. That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Corporation of Calcutta and to the family of the deceased, with an expression of the Corporation's sympathy in their sad bereavement.
3. That as a mark of respect to the memory of the deceased the Corporation do adjourn Without proceeding to the transaction of business.

Continuing he said It was impossible for him to express in words his feelings on this occasion and he would content himself merely with moving the resolution.

Indian Opinion : JULY 24 1925

DECLARE SARDAR PATEL'S HOME AND SCHOOL IN KARAMSAD AS NATIONAL HERITAGE

Hi,

I wanted to tell you about this petition that I just signed:

"DECLARE SARDAR PATEL'S HOME AND SCHOOL IN KARAMSAD AS NATIONAL HERITAGE"


Palam Airport on April 28, 1950, the Hon'ble Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru stayed on at the airport to receive Mr. C. Rajagopalachari. Here the two ar seen with Miss Maniben Patel, the Hon'ble Sardar Patel , the Hon'ble Gopalaswami Ayyangar and others.

I really care about this cause, and I'd love it if you joined me in supporting it. It's free and takes just a few seconds of your time.
Thanks!

TODAY THAT DAY : 10 NOVEMBER 1950

READS REACH LHASA

Peiping Radio Report

STAFF CORRESPONDENT AND A.A.P.

London, Nov, 9 - Peiping Radio, in a broadcast in Tibetan last night, said that the "People's Army" had entered the Tibetan Capital of Lhasa.

In Lhasa itself an interim regime led by a senior monk Minister. Sawong Lama has replaced the Cabinet of the former Regent Takta Rimpoche.

Partial to the Communists, the new regime is considering Peiping proposals regarding Tibet according to reports.

The proposal provide that : -

• China would not interfere in the internal administration of Tibet but would be responsible for its defense, external affairs, and communications.


• China would station a token force in Lhasa and appoint military advisers to reorganise the Tibetan forces;


• China would not interfere with the Dalai Lama and the Patchen Lama.

The interim regime has ordered the Tibetan troops to offer no resistance to the invading forces.

Meanwhile, in Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh-formerly the United Provinces-security measures have been taken along the two State's borders with Tibet.

NON-RECOGNITION

The Indian Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Sardar Patel, said in New Delhi to-day that India could not recognise the new three year-old King of Nepal.

The boy was proclaimed King on Tuesday after his grandfather, the King of Nepal, took refuge in the Indian Embassy in Katmandu capital of Nepal.

Addressing a public meeting Mr. Patel called on the Indian people to unite and strengthen themselves in the face of "new dangers or fear of dangers" arising from the trouble in Tibet and Nepal.

He said that the internal feud in Nepal had laid wide open India's frontiers in the north to outside danger.

Architect of Swaraj - 3

Architect of Swaraj

It was decided at the session to start civil disobedience movement on a mass scale and it was left to Gandhi to decide when and where the campaign should be launched. At the instance of Vallabhbhai, Gandhi selected Bardoli, for he felt that people of Bardoli were gentle and mild and would not resort to violence when provoked. He along with Vallabhbhai traveled over the entire district of Bardoli to educate them. They had to rouse the people's enthusiasm and yet keep their passions from breaking into violence. Their utterances electrified the people. The people responded enthusiastically. But only a few days after, Gandhi learnt about the outbreak of violence of Chauri Chaura. The police had opened fire on a peaceful procession without any provocation and the mob retaliated by setting fire to the police station and burning to death 21 constables and one young son of a sub-inspector of police. Learning this Gandhi immediately called off civil disobedience for he felt that the nation was not yet ready for non-violent non-cooperation. Many leaders including C.R. Das, Motilal Nehru and Lala -Lajpatrai resented the suspension of the movement when it was at its peak. They called it Gandhi's greatest blunder and protested vehemently against "the ignominious and ill-turned retreat". Patel however felt that Gandhi was right in suspending civil disobedience. He told the people not to question their leader but to follow him. To quote him, "During the struggle do what Gandhiji commands us, if he asks us to rise we shall rise, if he asks us to retreat we shall do so."

Next Borsad claimed the attention of Vallabhbhai, it was his Taluka and it appealed to him for help. This Taluka was infested with dacoits and robbers. Naturally this was going on with the connivance of the police. But the police attributed it to the indifference and cowardliness of the people who did not co-­operate with the police. To set matters right a special force was posted in the Taluka and the people were asked to pay Rs. 240,000 a year which worked out at Rs. 2 and Annas / per person above the age of 16. People resented this punitive tax.

Vallabhbhai himself went to Borsad and found that the superintendent of police was himself involved. He had issued a confidential circular to all the sub-inspectors and head constables "requiring them to turn a blind eye to dacoits and offences committed by Ali, as he had undertaken to assist in the arrest of Barber Deva." The police had even supplied weapons to Ali with which he had committed many murders and dacoities. Vallabhbhai exhorted the people not to pay this punitive tax and at the same time to remain non-violent against all provocations.

The people of Borsad stood firm. The police reacted with vengeance and attached property. This went on for five weeks when Sir Leslie Wilson was appointed Governor of Bombay. He happened to see in a newspaper a report of Vallabhbhai's speech in which he had quoted that confidential letter. He deputed the Home Member to visit the place and find out the facts. The Home Member confirmed that Vallabhbhai's allegations were correct. Thereupon the punitive tax was abolished, extra cost of extra police was to be borne by the Government. Vallabhbhai thanked the Governor of Bombay for this gesture. Gandhi complimented Vallabhbhai by conferring on him the title of "King of Borsad".

From Borsad Bardoli got the attention of Sardar Patel. In Bardoli he addressed a conference which was attended by peasants from nearly 80 villages. He told them that as to the justice of their case he had not the slightest doubt, but he was not sure of their strength. He added, "I shall stand by the side of anyone who is prepared to take risks."

On 6th February Patel addressed a letter to the Governor of Bombay requesting him to order a fresh inquiry as the increase was unjust and arbitrary, and to postpone the recovery of the revised land revenue. He received a curt reply saying that his letter had been sent to the Revenue Department for Disposal. Now the battle had begun. Vallabhbhai devoted all his time and energy to organizing, uniting and rousing the people. He went from village to village. He ate delivered numerous speeches everyday. He organized a publicity department which would issue, and distribute free, his speeches in pamphlets and also a daily news bulletin.

The Government fired their first shot on 15th February by serving notices on 50 Banias to pay the revised land revenue within 10 days. Banias were considered to be weak and mild people and the Government were hopeful that they would yield. But out of the fifty only two paid. When the people learnt of it they were annoyed with the two "black sheep" and wanted to boycott them. But Vallabhbhai told them to remain calm.

Patel moved from village to village and thousands listened to his speeches with devotion. He invited the women of Bardoli also to join the struggle, "for the burnt will have to be borne by them".

When the Government realized that the imposition of fines had no effect on the people it started confiscation of land. Here are some examples; land worth Rs. 40,000 was attached to recover a tax of Rs. 700. In another instance, 33 acres of land worth Rs. 15,000 was confiscated and sold to another buyer for Rs. 161. Again, land worth Rs. 30, 000 was sold for Rs. 115. But still the people remained unperturbed. To crush them the Government resorted to a new expedient of attaching the cattle of the peasantry.

Patel than appealed to Patels and Talatis to resign. At his call 69 out of the 90 Patels and 11 out of 35 Talatis resigned. It was at this time that Vallabhbhai came to be known as the "SARDAR" of the peasants. The appellation stuck to his name for all his life.

When the Government's repressive measures proved to be ineffective then sanity dawned on them. They were frightened that if the Bardoli Satyagraha spread to other parts of India that would be the end of British rule. So they decided to compromise. The government acceded to all the demands of Sardar Patel. The independent inquiry after a thorough investigation recommended an increase of 5.7% as against 22% originally fixed. Thus ended this glorious struggle. The Bardoli struggle was significant from many points of view. It demonstrated to all the world that truth and non-violence cannot be crushed. It compelled the mighty Government, pledged to crush, to yield within a fortnight of the pledge. It was a viceroy for both the Satyagrahis and the Government and that is why both Gandhi and Vallabhbhai congratulated the people as well as the Governor.

Secondly, the Bardoli Satyagraha was a landmark in the history of our freedom movement. It gave a new meaning and significance to the history of Satyagraha in India and paved the way for the future bigger struggle. Thirdly, it projected the personality of Sardar Patel and proved his organizing capacity and ability to lead people.

In March, 1929 Sardar was invited to preside over the fifth Kathiawad Political Conference. He did some plain-speaking by telling the people to speak less and work more.

A couple of months later he was invited to preside at the Maharashtra Political Conference.

TO BE CONTINUE…..

Courtesy : ARCHITECT OF SWARAJ
Page – 80-82

TODAY THAT DAY : 06 NOVEMBER 1947

"CORNER TURNED" IN KASHMIR

RAIDER'S MAIN STRENGTH NOW BROKEN

 

Indian Troops have fought armed raiders near Bagdom, less than ten miles south-west of Srinagar and five miles from the airfield India is using as reinforcement base in Kashmir. "Raider's infiltration tactics against that airfield are reported.

 

New Delhi, Nov 5 - According to New Delhi Radio, Indian Government forces are officially stated to have broken the main strength of the Kashmir raiders says Reuters. The Kashmir Government claimed in Press note that the corner had been turned. The raiders were being steadily pushed back and mopped up in pockets, heavy casualties being inflicted. The Indian Air Force had destroyed much of the raider's equipment. "There is definite proof that Pakistan Army officers are operating with the raiders" the report said.

 

Reliable reports from the North-West Frontier Province said that a Jehad (Moslem holy war) has been

officially declared and that more tribesmen have been seen moving towards Kashmir, "The Times" correspondent says. Raiding tribesmen shunning main roads and swarming down from the hills in thousands, last night launched attack after attack on the airport outside Srinagar, says the "Daily Express" correspondent. The hard pressed defenders held the attacks with long bursts of fire throughout the night. They knew that if the airfield fell their last hope of reinforcements from the Indian Dominion was gone.

As they fought, transport planes came in on each other's tail. Sikh troops jumped from the planes and assembled in battle formation. Thousands of refugees waited to fill their places for the return journey. The Deputy Prime Minister of India (Mr. Patel) and the Defense Minister (Sardar Baldev Singh) arrived by air and conferred on the spot with the head of the Kashmir provisional Government (Sheikh Abdullah) and then flew on to Jammu to meet the Maharajah of Kashmir (Sir Hari Singh).

An Indian Army officer who has returned to New Delhi from Kashmir told the American Associated Press correspondent that the invaders' threat to Srinagar became grave when they developed infiltration tactics against the airfield on Monday night.

Indian troops, through a victory at the village of Pattan on Sunday night, had forced the raiders to abandon their advance along the Baramula-Srinagar road. The raiders broke up and pus their way through to the village of Bagdom and would have gone straight on to Srinagar if Indian troops had not been able to bold them there for several hours.

HEAVY CASUALTIES

 

Indian troops claimed to have inflicted 50 per cent casualties when they engaged a force of 700 armed raiders near Bagdom on Monday night, less than, ten miles south west of Srinagar ad only miles from the airfield that India is using as a reinforcement base.

An Indian communique said that Indian troops were heavily out-numbered but attacked against heavy mortar and machine-gun fire and sustained comparatively light casualties. Air reconnaissance later spotted the corpses of more than 100 raiders.

An Indian Defense Ministry communique said that Indian troops on Monday afternoon, ten miles south west of Srinagar, held the raiders for several hours and inflicted heavy casualties. Parties of armed bandits, were terrorising Srinagar Valley Royal Indian Air Force planes were operatine against the raiders.

RELIEF TRAINS

Another communique said that a shuttle relief of trains during the first three days of November had carried 34,000) Hindus and Sikhs to India from Pakistan and 37,000 Moslems from India. The American Associated Press correspondent says the relief service used nine trains, each carrying between 3,000 and 7,000 refugees packed in and on every inch of space with their belongings-luggage. bedding, dogs, parrots, pigeons, fowls and mongooses.

The British Air Ministry announced today that Royal Air Force Dakotas and York aircraft, working on the relief service for the Indian and Pakistan Governments. carried more than 20,000 passengers between August 15 and October 27. Many flights involved heavily laden planes landing and taking off from abandoned airfields with a minimum of ground organisation.

The Pakistan Government in a statement issued today, accused Indian troops of having opened fire near the Sialkot border on Moslem refugees from Jammu (West Punjab). Home Guards went to the rescue of the refugees and exchanged fire with the Indians. The Pakistan Government also issued a "gazette extraordinary" ordering an non-scheduled aircraft flying over West Punjab to land at Lahore on both outward and homing flights and proceed only after clearance.

EXTERMINATION PLAN

The Prime Minister of Pakistan (Liaquat Ali Khan). in a broadcast today, said that the people of Kashmir were fighting for their freedom and very They had been caught in a widespread plan to exterminate Moslems, he said. The plan had succeeded in all States acceded to India. "Presumably after such an extermination in Kashmir, India proposed to hold a referendum," he continued. "What use is a vote when the voters have been driven from their homes or silenced in death?"

Liaquat Ali said that it was dishonest to present rebellion of enslaved peoples an invasion from outside. India was helping to wipe out the oppressed, enslaved and entrapped people of Kashmir. India had regarded the accession of Junagadh to Pakistan as a threat to India's security.

The accession of Kashmir to India was a much greater threat to the security of Pakistan "We do not recognise this accession." he said. "The choice before the people of Kashmir is freedom or death."

He charged that thousands of Sikhs, on the pretext of being refugees, entered Jammu at the end of September. but they came from East, not from West Punjab, and then "set about the formal business in Jammu and Punch of repeating the horrible drama they enacted in East Punjab."

Referring to reports that "Free Kashmir" troops were armed with modern weapons. Liaquat Ali Khan

said that many of those fighting the invading troops of India came from the 6000 former army men of Punch who were not incapable of capturing arms from their enemies.

The Governor of the North-West Frontier Province (Sir George Cunningham) has refused the request of the Jirga (tribal gathering) of Lower Mohmand tribesmen to go to Kashmir "and save their Moslem

brethren from the tyranny of the Dogra ruler." He told the Jirga to consider the whole m?n.tter without getting excited and assured them that the Pakistan Government would be able to bring about a satisfactory solution of the Kashmir problem.

A Briton, Lieut.-Col. Dykes, was killed on Monday by tribesmen who attacked the convent at Baramula, says Reuters correspondent and apparently lost his life while trying to save his wife. Mrs. Dykes's body was recovered from a well. Their three children are believed to be safe in Rawalpindi.

Khurshid Hassan. the 25-year-old private secretary to the Governor General of Pakistan (Mr. Jinnah)

who on Monday was arrested in Srinagar, was released last night. "My holiday is over, but I can not get out." he said. "I have asked for a plane from Karachi"

Courtesy : The West Australian, Thursday, November 6, 1947

TODAY THAT DAY : 27 - 28 OCTOBER 1933 (Death of Shri Vithalbhai Patel - 22nd October 1933)

VITHALBHAI PATEL

(27 September 1873 – 22 October 1933) 

GANDHI LOSES AN ALLY

First Indian President of the Legislative Assembly (1925). Died October 22, 1933. The first Swarajist President of the Bombay Corporation. Visited U.S.A. and Irish Free State to denounce the British Raj.

MR. V. J. PATEL DIES IN SWITZERLAND (22nd October 1933)

Mr. Vithalbhai J. Patel, the former President of the Indian Legislative Assembly, who has been lying seriously ill in a nursing home near Nyon (Lake Geneva), died on Sunday.

He remained conscious to the last, and his last works were : "BEFORE I DIE I PRAY FOR INDIA'S FREEDOM".

By the death of Mr. Patel, a barrister by profession, India  losses a staunch Swarajist and an ardent believer in the non-violence movement.

For a number of year he was Secretary of the Indian National Congress, and in the capacity came to England to give evidence in connection with the Montague-Chelmsford reforms in 1919. He was also a successful Mayor of Bombay.

A close collaborator with Gandhi he joined him in launching the second civil disobedience movement in 1931 and was twice arrested.

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TODAY THAT DAY : 27 - 28 OCTOBER 1933 (Death of Shri Vithalbhai Patel - 22nd October 1933)

VITHALBHAI PATEL
(27 September 1873 – 22 October 1933) 

First Indian President of the Legislative Assembly (1925). Died October 22, 1933. The first Swarajist President of the Bombay Corporation. Visited U.S.A. and Irish Free State to denounce the British Raj.

MR. V. J. PATEL DIES IN SWITZERLAND (22nd October 1933)

Mr. Vithalbhai J. Patel, the former President of the Indian Legislative Assembly, who has been lying seriously ill in a nursing home near Nyon (Lake Geneva), died on Sunday.

He remained conscious to the last, and his last works were : "BEFORE I DIE I PRAY FOR INDIA'S FREEDOM".

By the death of Mr. Patel, a barrister by profession, India  losses a staunch Swarajist and an ardent believer in the non-violence movement.

For a number of year he was Secretary of the Indian National Congress, and in the capacity came to England to give evidence in connection with the Montague-Chelmsford reforms in 1919. He was also a successful Mayor of Bombay.

A close collaborator with Gandhi he joined him in launching the second civil disobedience movement in 1931 and was twice arrested.

Architect of Swaraj - 2

Architect of Swaraj

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel 

Gandhi and Patel made a strong team as President and Secretary of the Gujarat Sabha. Earlier it used to meet once a year and would pass resolution and submit some petitions to the Government. But now it was decided to set up an executive committee with Gandhi as Chairman and Patel as Secretary which would function with a fixed program for the welfare of the masses. Under the Secretaryship of Patel the Sabha rendered service to the people of Gujarat in time of distress. When in 1917 plague broke out in Ahmedabad, Patel organized an anti-plague campaign. People looked to him with confidence to organize the relief measures. No single man in our country organized with so unfailing a success so many and so extensive relief measures in natural calamities as Patel did.

Patel as Secretary of the Gujarat Sabha took up the question of forced labour. Patel wrote three letters to Mr. Pratt, the then Commissioner of Northern Division, to ascertain the Government views on the subject. When nothing materialized he published and distributed leaflets among , villagers to educate them against forced labour. It had the desired effect and people began to press for payment for the services rendered. This antagonized the Government officers against Patel but he remained unmoved.

In early 1918, the crops of Kaira district were washed away by rain. The farmers were left with nothing and could not pay the land revenue. They prayed for the exemption of land tax. But the Government turned a deaf ear to their request. So the people approached Patel for help. "I shall see the crops myself and if what you say is correct, I shall request Gandhiji to take up your fight."

Patel himself visited the villages on a fact-finding inquiry and when he was satisfied he wrote to the Government of Bombay to grant exemption from land revenue. But this had no effect. So Patel approached Gandhi to take up the case of the Kaira peasants. Gandhi advised Satyagraha but he wanted "one at least of the workers of Gujarat Sabha to accompany him and devote all his time to the campaign until it was completed.'' Vallabhbhai offered his services, much to Gandhi's delight. Patel gave up his "European dress and donned dhoti and Kurta and toured the villages of Kaira District along with Gandhi to train the people to suffer in the cause of Satyagraha. When Gandhi appealed to the people to refrain form plying land revenue, the Government became furious and enforced punitive measures for tax collection. Lands were attached, property confiscated, and cattle were auctioned. This meant too great a hardship for the famine-hit people of Kaira. Gandhi had to leave Kaira to go to Champaran in Bihar. But in his absence Patel went from village to village and exhorted the peasants to bear the hardships cheerfully and not to yield. The peasants had faith in their leader and stood firm. Ultimately the Government had to yield. It agreed that the tax should be collected only from those who could pay it. This was what the Gujarat Sabha had been asking for. So the no ­tax campaign was called off.

The Kaira campaign had two effects Firstly the efficacy of the technique of Satyagraha was proved. It was later developed and adopted for the freedom movement. Secondly, the Kaira campaign discovered a new leader in the person of Patel.

In 1917, Patel contested and was elected as Municipal Councillor in a by-election in Ahmedabad Municipality. At that time a headstrong I.C.S. Officer, J.A. Shillidy, was the Municipal Commissioner who did not care for the advice of the Municipal Board. Soon after his election Patel came into conflict with Shillidy. Shillidy was out to help his favoured Councillor, one Fateh Mohammad Munshi, who bad contributed a handsome amount towards the War Loan. There was a small Jake near the railway station. Since it was a breeding ground for mosquitoes, it was decided to fill it up. But Munshi had a match factory near this lake and was seasoning timber in this lake. He wanted the lake to remain unfilled. Disregarding the interest of the Municipality, Shillidy leased this Jake to Munshi for a song. Vallabhbhai came to know all the facts of the case. He moved a resolution demanding the removal of Shillidy. The resolution was passed and the Government bad no alternative but to remove him.

Eight years after, i.e., in 1924, Patel was elected President of the Municipality and devoted all his time and energies to the betterment of the city. He did his utmost to make Ahmeda­bad cleaner, healthier and more beautiful. He himself took up the broom to clean the city. He encouraged the development of parks, play-ground are recreational centres. He also opened schools to provide free education. And when Indian National Congress passed the historic resolution of Non-cooperation at Nagpur in 1920, Patel prevailed upon the Municipality to free Municipal schools from Government control. He told the school.5 to decline the education grant from the Government. The Deputy Education Inspector was told not to visit the Municipal schools. The Government was no prepared to brook this insult. This Commissioner dubbed this act of the Municipality ultra vires. When the Commissioner ordered the Municipality to hand over the schools to the Government, the Municipality closed the schools for a month. This annoyed the Commissioner and he moved the. Government to suspend the Municipality. The Municipality was suspended on 9th February, 1922, and the Government entrusted its affairs to a committee nominated by them. Vallabhbhai strongly condemned this act to the Government. He also appealed to the people for funds to run national schools and was able to collect Rs. 1.25 lakhs with which 43 national schools were opened. Ultimately the Government had to yield and after two years the Municipality was restored.

Vallabhbhai continued to be the President of Ahmedabad Municipality till 1928 when he had to resign to devote himself fully to Bardoli struggle. During his tenure as President he continued to instil courage, self-respect and self-confidence in the people. Soon after the successful completion of the Kaira Satyagraha, Vallabhbhai joined Gandhi in raising recruits for the War which was going on at the time. But once the War was over, the Government tried to resuscitate the old Anglo­-Indian life. As if to add fuel to the fire the Rowlatt Committee's report was published. After the Rowlatt Bills came the massacre of Jallianwala Bagh on April 13th, 1919. 

Vallabhbhai now agreed with Gandhiji that non-co-operation was the only answer to British cruelties. The Congress. session was to be held in Calcutta to pass the non-cooperation resolution. 

TO BE CONTINUE..... 

Courtesy : ARCHITECT OF SWARAJ 

Page - 77 - 79

TODAY THAT DAY : 26 OCTOBER 1949

INDIA'S £60,000,000 ECONOMIES

THE SCOTSMAN - 26 OCTOBER 1949

SARDAR PATEL INDIAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER HAS ORDERED A £60 MILLION CUT IN CAPITAL EXPENDITURE IN INDIA'S BUDGET FOR THE NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR, ACCORDING TO AUTHORITATIVE SOURCES TO-DAY. BUDGETED CAPITAL EXPENDITURE FOR THIS YEAR IS £157 MILLION. REUTER.