Tribute to Sardar Patel

Author(s): Friends of Sardar Patel Awrd Association UCLA
Publisher: USA Friends of Sardar Patel Awrd Association UCLA

Page 9

The Human Side B DAR PATEL
-By Amin Kureshi'
his incident relates to Hazrat Nizamuddin
Awilia's Dargah, a Muslim holy shrine in Delhi, which is well known throughout In
dia. Many Muslims in Ahmedabad have been followers of this Dargah. In the absence of its chief administrator, the electricity bill was not paid for the Dargah and, therefore, the electricity was turned off. This news reached Ahmedabad in a few days.
The Muslim followers in Ahmedabad were very disturbed by this occurrence and collected funds to pay the bill and restore electricity to the Dargah in Delhi. The task of taking the money and making the payment was given to a young man, the author, Mr. Kureshi.
When I reached Delhi, I found that the Dargah was well lit and that the electricity had already been restored. Through investigation, I found that Sardar Patel had also heard the news that the Dargah was without electricity and had personally paid the electricity bill. Moreover, he and his daughter, Manibehn had visited and paid their respects to the famous shrine.
I was deeply touched and moved by this happening. I wanted to meet with Sardar Patel personally to pay respects on behalf of all Muslim followers of Hazrat Nizamuddin in Ahmedabad.
When Sardar's P.A. told me that he had a busy schedule and did not plan to meet anybody, I thought of sending a note. I took a small piece of paper and scribbled "Amin Kureshi of Ahmedabad" and pleaded with Sardar's P.A. "please send this to Sardar and if he orders me to go, I will leave.” That piece of paper was sent to Sardar and promptly came the reply with Sardar's assistant, “Don't let that gentleman go away, I will see him in half an hour." Both the P.A. & I were surprised.
As soon as Sardar came out he scolded me: "Are you an unwanted son of your parents or what? Why have they sent you here amidst the atmosphere of riots in Delhi?" When I told him about the purpose of his visit to Delhi, Sardar said: "Tell our friends in Ahmedabad that Sardar is still in Delhi. I am here to worry and take care of everybody's problems." Then all of a sudden I was startled when Sardar asked, “Have you had something to eat, young man? Oh! You must not have eaten. Just wait here and after an hour we will go home together." Sardar took me home and we had dinner together. Sardar then told me, "My man will be here soon with your ticket to Ahmedabad. I will send a police escort with you to take train to Ahmedabad. The situation is very bad in Delhi at present my son! No one will know if a young lonely Muslim boy like you is butchered somewhere."
After fifty years I am still here and offering my tribute to Sardar. Life and death are one's destiny but how can I forget a man who was so human in his concern for others?
Translated from his article in the Gujarati newspaper, Sandesh published on the 50th Anniversary of India's Indpendence in 1997.
destiny baxt how can I forget
en for other
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