Addressing the 144th Birth Anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, PM Modi paid tribute to the Statue of Unity in Gujarat
KEVADIA: To Mark the 144th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Gujarat today. He paid tribute to the freedom icon at the Statue of Unity which he inaugurated last year and led the people present at the grand event in taking a pledge. “Unity in diversity is our pride and identity,” Modi said.
He was the stalwart who unified India.
A leader of farmers, a great administrator and uncompromising when it came to safeguarding rights of the poor, India will always remember Sardar Patel’s unparalleled contribution.
Paid tributes to him at the ‘Statue of Unity.’ pic.twitter.com/t900IoQh4W
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 31, 2019
Gujarat: PM Modi administers unity pledge in Kevadia on the 144th birth anniversary of #SardarVallabhbhaiPatel. #RashtriyaEktaDiwas https://t.co/XJDnfVMe6V pic.twitter.com/VMmCReuW42
— ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2019
President Ram Nath Kovind and Union Home Minister Amit Shah also paid tribute to Sardar Patel in Delhi. Mr Shah flagged off the “Run for Unity” marathon with boxing champion Mary Kom handing over the flag. Thousands of people are expected to part in similar marathons in various parts of the country.
Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind, Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal pay floral tribute to #SardarVallabhbhaiPatel on his birth anniversary. pic.twitter.com/6olnWtANOj
— ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2019
Also Read: PM Modi, Rahul, other leaders pay tribute to Indira Gandhi on birth anniversary
PM Modi also participated in the “Ekta Diwas” or National Unity Day parade. He visited a technology demonstration site and interact with civil service probationers at Kevadiya in Narmada district.
Gujarat: Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Police Technology Exhibition in Kevadia. #RashtriyaEktaDiwas pic.twitter.com/hxT98hFjMa
— ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2019
On Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary two Union Territories Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh have come into existence. Jammu and Kashmir have officially been split into two Union Territories nearly three months after the central government scrapped its decades-old special status under Article 370. India’s first Home Minister, Sardar Patel is credited for the merger of over 560 princely states into the Union of India.
“Article 370 and 35A were the gateway of terrorism in India. Prime Minister Modi has closed this gate by repealing them,” Mr Shah said while flagging off the “Run for Unity” event.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah: Dhaara 370 aur 35A desh ke andar aatankwad ki entry ka gateway bani hui thi, iss gateway ko 'ruk jao' karke ek phatak lagane ka kaam Bharat ke PM Narendra Modi ji ne kiya hai. https://t.co/bnhXlFN0dY
— ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2019
In an apparent swipe at Pakistan, PM Modi today said those who “cannot win wars against us” are trying to destroy the country’s unity.
“Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are taking a step towards a new future today,” the Prime Minister said.
PM Modi’s government has been observing Sardar Patel‘s birth anniversary as National Unity Day since 2014 when he came into power.
The BJP had blamed Jawaharlal Nehru for Article 370, saying that had Kashmir been left to Sardar Patel to handle, Article 370 would not have come into existence.
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