Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday addressed a gathering at the Statue of Unity in Gujarat on the 150th birth anniversary of the country’s first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. During his address, PM Modi celebrated the legacy of Sardar Patel and remembered his efforts for unifying India.
PM Modi said, “After Independence, Sardar Patel accomplished seemingly impossible task of merging over 550 princely states into Indian Union.” He also pointed out that Sardar Patel wanted to integrate the entire Kashmir into India, but Jawaharlal Nehru blocked the move.
“Sardar Patel wanted to integrate entire Kashmir with India but then PM Jawaharlal Nehru did not allow it,” said Modi.
Taking a swipe at the Congress party, the Prime Minister said, “Unfortunately, in the years following Sardar Sahib’s death, the governments of the time lacked the same seriousness regarding the nation’s sovereignty. On the one hand, the mistakes made on Kashmir, on the other, the problems arising in the Northeast, and the spread of Naxalism and Maoist terrorism across the country were direct challenges to the nation’s sovereignty. But instead of following Sardar Sahib’s policies, the governments of that era chose a spineless approach. The country suffered the consequences in the form of violence and bloodshed…”
He accused the Congress government of forgetting Sardar Patel’s vision for the country, saying that the party always bowed for Pakistan and terrorism.
