How Sardar Patel's foresight prevented Pakistan from conquering Lakshadweep

The controversy stirred by the Maldivian ministers, who were subsequently removed from their posts, elicited strong reactions from social media users, and soon #BoycottMaldives began to trend in India.

The entire episode has piqued the curiosity around Lakshadweep, making the Indian island the most searched topic on Google in India.

Located off the coast of Kerala or the Malabar Coast in the Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep is all set to get the attention, that it has been awaiting.

In an interview with CNN-News18, Lakshadweep Administrator Praful Patel stated that the island's prospects experienced a positive shift following the Prime Minister's visit.

The Lakshadweep administration expects to receive Rs 20,000 crore in investments soon, bringing it to a level comparable with the Maldives.

However, if it had not been Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India’s post-colonial Home Minister, played a crucial role in preventing Pakistan from taking over the tropical paradise of Lakshadweep. Sardar Patel's contributions were instrumental in shaping post-British India, according to reports.

After India gained independence in 1947, the subcontinent underwent partition, resulting in the creation of West Pakistan and East Pakistan on opposite borders, both with a Muslim majority.

Meanwhile, Lakshadweep, a Muslim-majority region situated 496 kilometers off the coast of Kochi, was left untouched.

It was only later that Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan and leader of the Muslim League, turned attention to Lakshadweep, which had a 93 percent Muslim population, although it was relatively minor in the broader context of Pakistan, said reports.

In his October 2019 Mann Ki Baat address, Prime Minister Modi explained how India's 'Iron Man,' referring to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, not only consolidated dispersed major princely states like Hyderabad and Junagarh but also safeguarded Lakshadweep from being claimed by Pakistan.

The Lakshadweep islands are situated near the Malabar coast in southern India.

Reports suggest that Sardar Patel understood the strategic significance of these islands and immediately instructed officials in southern India to dispatch a ship with security troops to the area.

According to the reports, Pakistan had also deployed a ship to capture the islands.

However, Indian forces were successful in reaching the islands first, hoisting the tricolour flag.

This turn of events forced the Pakistani ship to retreat to its port.