Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

“Today, we have assembled on a historic occasion. A new chapter in the history of India is opening up before us.”

“But along with this pride and this celebration, let us not be unmindful of our duties and obligations.”

“We must cleanse our hearts and purify our minds and resolve to do pure deeds by ourselves, by the new Union and by our country.”

“If you look at the history of India, you will find that for centuries, India was steeped in slavery.”

“If we falter or fail, we shall consign ourselves to eternal shame and disgrace.”

“This is the first time in history after centuries that India can call itself an integrated whole in the real sense of the term.”

“To rule by one's will alone is easy: to rule by consent and jointly is a difficult task, particularly when administrative experience is lacking.”

“We must be mindful of the need of a secular approach to the Indian problem.”

“Swaraj involves learning by experience. That is proverbially costly but we have to ensure that the cost is not disproportionately high and serious mistakes are prevented.”

“Our first task is to stabilise, consolidate and strengthen ourselves and the rest can have only a secondary priority”

“Though the country is partitioned people are not partitioned. Who can partition? Can mountains and rivers be partitioned?”

“Our rule is not theocratic rule. Even after partition our country is very big. Our population is also very large. Forget the past as a bad dream.”

“The roots of Muslims are also here. Here there is Jumma mosque, Taj Mahal, Aligarh University, etc. So they have no other go except being one with us.”

“In the world today it is difficult to stay alone. When there is hailstorm lonely tree falls to the ground, but the trees which are in the row are saved.”

“India has never made any encroachment on any country throughout its history by sword. It has done so by its culture, by its civilisation, by its force of the soul.”

“That is our ambition. We do not want to have armed forces to have aggression on any country in the world. That is not India’s history.”

“But Gandhiji never advised us to be cowards. He never advised us to forsake our country or not to protect the country’s honour and the country’s liberty.”

“We want to be friends. We have so often told them: “You often talk of enemies; your enemies, whoever they are, they are within yourselves and not outside.”

“Our public life seems to be degenerating into a fen of stagnant waters; our conscience is troubled with doubts and despair about the possibilities of improvement.”

“We talk while the paramount need is that of action. We are critical of other people's exertions, but lack the will to contribute our own.”

“Age has not diminished the passion which I bear to see my country great and to ensure that the foundations of our freedom are well and securely laid.”