PoJK exists because Nehru didn’t let Patel handle J&K, says Dr Jitendra Singh

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday flagged off the inaugural ‘Unity March Ek Bharat, Akhand Bharat’ “Padyatra” at Kathua as part of the nationwide initiative honouring the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Dr Jitendra Singh was joined by a large number of students, NCC cadets, public representatives, and local people during the march, which began at Dream Land Park and culminated in the premises of Government Degree College (GMC). The Sardar@150 Unity March is aimed at awakening the spirit of unity, patriotism, and duty among the youth.

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Addressing the media, Dr Jitendra Singh said that the then PM Jawaharlal Nehru not allowing his Home Minister Patel to handle J&K the same way as he was handling other princely states of the country led to the creation of PoJK. And when the Indian forces were about to retrieve the part of J&K captured by Pakistan, Nehru, without consulting Patel or other cabinet colleagues, went on the radio and declared a unilateral ceasefire, he added.

Hailing Sardar Patel for integrating more than 560 princely states into the Indian Union, Dr Jitendra Singh stated that Patel and Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee are the most underrated leaders of Independent India. He said it was due to the timely intervention of Sardar Patel that the armed forces were deployed to repel the tribal raid on the Kashmir Valley. Otherwise, the city of Srinagar might have also fallen to the tribal raiders. He said Sardar Patel was the Home Minister post-Partition, and had the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru given him the freedom to handle J&K the same way as he was handling other princely states of the country, the history of J&K and indeed that of India would have been different.

Dr Jitendra Singh said just as Sardar Patel unified a fragmented India, the Unity March will carry forward that spirit so the youth can adopt the ideals of ‘Ek Bharat Akhand Bharat’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat. He said during this journey, awareness will be raised about crucial issues like drug eradication, cleanliness (Swachhata), and promotion of indigenous (Swadeshi) products, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a self-reliant and united India.

Sharing details about the Unity March Ek Bharat – Atmanirbhar Bharat, Dr Jitendra Singh said it has begun digitally on October 6, 2025, and is split into two phases: District Level Padyatras (October 31 – November 25, 2025) involving 8–10 km walks in every district, preceded by events like essay competitions, seminars on Sardar Patel’s life, and pledges for a ‘Drug-Free India’ and “Proudly Swadeshi”.