J&K’s History Would Be Different If Sardar Patel Were Given Full Responsibility For Integration: L-G Sinha | Politics News

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha joined the “Sardar@150 Unity March (Padyatra)” at Gujarat’s Vadodara. (Image: PTI/File)

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel would have ensured complete and irreversible integration of Jammu and Kashmir if he had handled its affairs.

“History of J&K would have been different if Sardar Patel had been given full responsibility for its integration in 1947,” Sinha said while addressing the “Sardar@150 Unity March (Padyatra)” at Gujarat’s Vadodara on the theme of ‘Kashmir, Hyderabad and Sardar’.

He joined the national padyatra, which began at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s family home in Karamsad. It will cover nearly 190 km in 11 days, and will conclude at the Statue of Unity on December 6.

Sinha said despite not directly handling Jammu and Kashmir, Patel ensured that it remained an integral part of India. From the very beginning, he had said we will not give even an inch of Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan.

“Sardar Patel had opposed the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s policy towards Jammu and Kashmir. He was also against taking the issue to the United Nations. In one of his public rallies, Sardar Patel had categorically said about the complete integration of Jammu Kashmir and his decisive action would have altered the course of history,” he said.

The Lieutenant Governor, during his address, observed that Patel’s vision of unity, ideals and values of equality and social justice continue to shape the growth of our nation.

“As an architect of modern India, Sardar Patel symbolises India’s self-confidence, self-respect and its bravery. His embodying values of integrity, decisiveness, selfless service continue to inspire us to build a strong, self-reliant and developed India,” he said.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is fulfilling the dreams and vision of Patel. “With abrogation of Article 370, he has weaved entire India in the thread of unity and realized the resolution of one flag, one constitution and one leader in one country,” he added.

Sinha further highlighted that Modi’s initiatives – ‘One Nation, One Tax’, ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’, ‘One Nation, One Health Card’, ‘One Nation, One Grid’, ‘National Education Policy’, ‘PM Gati Shakti’, ‘Kashi-Tamil Sangamam’ among others – have strengthened India’s unity.

“There are three important pillars of unity – shared values, shared identity and a common purpose that act as a unifying force for sustained progress and development,” he said.