सरदार पटेलकी कर्तव्यनिष्ठा
सरदार पटेल अदालतमें एक फौजदारी मुकदमेकी पैरवी कर रहे थे। मामला गम्भीर था, उनकी जरा सी असावधानी मुवक्किलको फाँसी दिला सकती थी। वे जजके समक्ष अपने तर्क दे रहे थे, तभी एक व्यक्तिने आकर उन्हें एक तार दिया। उन्होंने तार खोला और पढ़कर जेबमें रख लिया। मुकदमेको कार्यवाही समाप्त होनेके बाद साथी वकीलने सरदार पटेलसे पूछा- किसका तार था ? उन्होंने कहा – मेरी पत्नीकी मृत्यु हो गयी, उसकी सूचना थी। साथी वकीलने कहा- इतनी बड़ी घटना घट गयी और आप जिरहमें लगे रहे। पटेलने उत्तर दिया- और क्या करता? पत्नी तो चली गयी। क्या मुवक्किलको भी जाने देता? मेरी थोड़ी-सी भी अधीरता उसे फाँसीके तख्तेतक पहुँचा सकती थी।
Sardar Patel’s devotion to duty
Sardar Patel was defending a criminal case in the court. The matter was serious, his slightest carelessness could get the client hanged. He was giving his arguments before the judge, when a person came and gave him a telegram. He opened the telegram and read it and kept it in his pocket. After the proceedings of the case were over, the fellow lawyer asked Sardar Patel – whose wire was it? He said – My wife died, she was informed. The fellow lawyer said – such a big incident happened and you were engaged in cross-examination. Patel replied – what else would he do? The wife has gone. Would you let the client go too? My slightest impatience could have sent him to the gallows.
