Panel seeks official celebration of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary across Kalyana Karnataka

People paying floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Circle in Kalaburagi on Saturday.

The Steel Man Sardar Patel Jayantotsava Committee and the Kalyana Karnataka Horata Samiti have urged the State government to officially celebrate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on October 31 every year in all seven districts of the Kalyana Karnataka region.

The demand was made by the committees’ honorary president Basavaraj Deshmukh and founder president Laxman Dasti while paying floral tributes to Patel at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Circle here on Saturday, to mark his birth anniversary.

They said Patel, India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, played a decisive role in the integration of princely States and the formation of a united India.

They said officially observing his birth anniversary across Kalyana Karnataka would help younger generations understand the region’s history and Patel’s contribution to national integration.

They recalled that when the erstwhile Hyderabad State refused to merge with India, Patel, as Home Minister, oversaw Operation Polo in September 1948, which led to the integration of Hyderabad State, including the Kalyana Karnataka region, into India on September 17, 1948.

The committee leaders urged Kalaburagi district in-charge Minister Priyank Kharge and other Ministers, MPs and MLAs from the region to take up the demand with the State government and ensure official celebrations across all seven districts.

They also called for the renovation and modernisation of Sardar Patel Circle in Kalaburagi, stating that nearly 28 years had passed since the statue was unveiled. They sought the renovation of the statue along with the development of the circle to improve its appearance and ensure that the statue complemented the redesigned surroundings. The leaders said they had already brought the matter to the notice of Mr. Kharge and urged that the work be taken up before the next Kalyana Karnataka Utsav celebrations.

Member of the Legislative Council Shashil Namoshi, who attended the programme, said Patel’s contribution to national unity was immense. He stressed the need to familiarise young people with Patel’s ideals concerning national integrity, farmers’ welfare and the country’s overall development.

Mr. Namoshi said he would take a special interest in persuading leaders from all political parties in Kalyana Karnataka to put pressure on the government to officially observe Patel’s birth anniversary throughout the region.