Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tributes to Bharat’s
first Home Minister and Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth
anniversary at the State of Unity in Gujarat’s Kevadia, on Tuesday.
PM Modi also performed jalabhishek at the statue of
Sardar Patel on the occasion of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or National Unity Day. At
an event later, he administered the National Unity Day pledge to the public at
Ekta Nagar.
In a tweet, PM Modi wrote, “On the Jayanti of Sardar
Patel, we remember his indomitable spirit, visionary statesmanship and the
extraordinary dedication with which he shaped the destiny of our nation. His
commitment to national integration continues to guide us. We are forever indebted
to his service.”
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, born in Gujarat in 1875, was
a lawyer and emerged as a leading Congress leader and associate of Mahatma
Gandhi during the Independence struggle.
Known as the Iron Man of Bharat, he was credited with binding
hundreds of princely States together into the Union with his mix of persuasion
and firmness.
Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President
Jagdeep Dhankhar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and a host of dignitaries
offered floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary in
Delhi.
At a special function held at Patel Chowk in the
national capital, the President, Dhankhar, Shah and others paid floral tributes
at the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
In a post on X, Shah said unity and prosperity of Bharat
was the sole aim of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s life.
“With his rock-solid willpower, political wisdom and
hard work, Sardar Patel had worked to make Bharat – then divided into more than
550 princely States – a united nation,” he wrote in Hindi.
“Sardar Saheb’s dedicated life to the nation and
nation-building work as the country’s first Home Minister will always inspire
us. Tributes to Iron Man Sardar Patel on his birth anniversary and best wishes
to all the countrymen on Rashtriya Ekta Divas,” he said.
Those who attended the event at Patel Chowk included
Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena and Minister of State for External Affairs
Meenakshi Lekhi, among many others.
NE Watch Desk
