Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailed Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel on his 148th birth anniversary for his contribution to
uniting the nation and took a veiled dig at the Congress, saying that his
contribution was not allowed to be highlighted.
Singh flagged off the ‘Run for Unity’ programme here
to mark the 148th birth anniversary of the country’s first home minister in the
presence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The Central Government has been observing October 31
as ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’ or National Unity Day since 2014 to foster and
reinforce its dedication to preserving and strengthening the unity, integrity
and security of the nation.
Addressing a function organised here, Singh said, “The
role of Sardar Patel in bringing together small princely states and creating a
united India after Independence was not allowed to be prominently highlighted
before the people of the country.”
Asserting that the Narendra Modi government has been
working for the past 10 years to ensure that Sardar Patel gets the respect that
he truly deserves, Singh said, “In 2013, when Narendra Modi ji was declared the
prime ministerial candidate, our party (BJP) had organized this programme and
at that time I had flagged it off.’’
‘‘Now, after 10 years, I am flagging off the Run for
Unity programme as defence minister. This programme is organised every year so
that the youth of the country can understand the importance of Sardar Patel and
take inspiration from him to spread the message of unity and integrity among
the people,” he said.
Citing the names of a few places, the Union Minister
said had it not been for the far-sightedness of Sardar Patel, people would need
passports and visas to visit these places.
If the issue of the merger of Jammu and Kashmir had
been given to Sardar Patel to handle, then the problem of Article 370 would not
have risen, he said.
“On the occasion of the birth anniversary of the first
home minister of the country, while we remember and pay tributes to him, we
should also remember all those freedom fighters and leaders who liberated India
(from British rule),” he said.
Speaking about the contribution of Sardar Patel, the
defence minister said, “When India became Independent on August 15, 1947, it
was an India divided into 562 princely states. The British deliberately gave
the opportunity to the princely states to remain separate instead of merging
them. It was because of Sardar Patel as the home minister of the country that
the whole of India was able to unite.”
“It was Sardar Patel’s foresight and his
strategic-diplomatic ability that the unity and integrity of India could be
ensured. You all must have heard about the cases of the Junagadh Princely State
and Nizamshahi (Hyderabad Princely State). Sardar Patel merged these two princely
states into India,” Singh said.
“Imagine if Sardar Patel had not shown wisdom and
determination, today Indians would have needed visas and passports to go to
Junagadh and Hyderabad,” he said.
He said that Prime Minister Modi has got 182-feet-tall
statue of Sardar Patel constructed in Gujarat’s Kevadiya and named it ‘Statue
of Unity’.
“It is bigger than the ‘Statue of Liberty’ in New
York. It is a matter of good fortune for us that no statue in the world is
bigger than the statue of Sardar Patel,’’ Singh said.
Stressing the importance of National Unity Day, the
defence minister said, “Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary is a day of resolve
for unity and solidarity and it is also a day for taking a pledge to maintain
integrity.”
On this occasion, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi
Adityanath, his deputies Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak and other
leaders also paid tributes to Sardar Patel.
Rajanth Singh also paid tributes to former Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi on her martyrdom day.
Indira Gandhi, India’s first and only woman prime
minister, was assassinated by her bodyguards on this day in 1984.
PTI
