'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas'

The nation celebrates the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on October
31st, as the 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas' (National Unity Day) every year, as a mark of tribute
to the country's first Home Minister to unite India. That Sardar Patel achieved territorial
integrity, a daunting task, was a heroic act, and it is for this accomplishment that he is
revered as a tall leader, called the iron man. The nation owes him immeasurable debt
for his vision not to allow Balkanisation of the country, which appeared to be stark
reality, due to the aftermath of partition after we gained independence. However, his
task of building a strong India free of civil strife remained unfulfilled due to his sad
demise in 1950. He had emphasised, “the safety and preservation of these states as well
as India demand unity and cooperation between its different parts. By common
endeavour we can raise the country to a new greatness while lack of unity will expose
us to fresh calamities.” And we have failed him by not going further by not weaving all
the Indians into a community, called the nation, we are a physical state though. He had
chastised: we have to shed mutual bickering, shed the difference of being high or low
and develop a sense of equality and banish untouchability. We have to be the like the
children of the same father.” In spite of the constant refrain of unity in diversity, today,
we are a menacingly divided lot. In fact, over the years the fault lines have deepened
further and have taken an ugly turn. The real homage to the Sardar will be to complete
his remaining task of truly bonding all the Indians into a psychological and emotional
matrix as a single identity, rising above caste and creed and region, which he would
have been so proud of. We should celebrate Ekta Divas with a perspective and not as a
ritual if we want to accomplish the remaining task of achieving the unity and integrity of
the country.

V P Jain