BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 31st October 2025: To commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Iron Man of the nation, a blood donation camp was organized at the official residence of former Union Minister Pratima Bhoumik here.
The event was inaugurated by senior BJP leader Sunil Deodhar, who paid tribute to Patel’s legacy and highlighted his pivotal role in integrating Tripura into the Indian Union.
Speaking to the media personnel here, Deodhar recalled that during the formation of East Pakistan, certain groups had advocated for Tripura’s inclusion in Pakistan. It was Maharani Kanchanprabha Devi who reached out to Sardar Patel, emphasizing Tripura’s Hindu-majority status and its cultural alignment with India.
Deodhar noted that Patel responded swiftly by deploying Indian troops via air to secure Tripura, ensuring its accession to India. “Had Patel not acted decisively, lakhs of tribal people in Tripura could have faced genocide in present-day Bangladesh,” he said. He also praised Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya for his foresight in building an airport, which enabled the military intervention.
Deodhar further lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for honoring Patel’s legacy by constructing the world’s tallest statue of the leader in Gujarat.
Former Union Minister Pratima Bhoumik echoed these sentiments, stating that Tripura owes its place in India to Patel’s intervention. She expressed concern over ongoing violence against Hindus in Bangladesh and emphasized the significance of Patel’s birth anniversary for the people of Tripura.
Over 40 volunteers participated in the blood donation camp.
