Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Unity Day address to the nation on the 146th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhai Patel on Sunday said that on every front, be it land, sea, air or space, India's capabilities and resolve are now unprecedented.
"Sardar Patel always wanted India to be capable, inclusive, sensitive, alert, humble and developed. He always prioritised national interest," PM Modi said.
“Today, deriving inspiration from him, the country is becoming fully capable of meeting both external and internal challenges,” he said.
PM Modi further emphasised how in the last seven years, the country has been freed of many decades-old unwanted laws.
Noting that the nation is paying tribute to Sardar Patel who gave his life for 'Ek Bharat, Shreshth Bharat', Modi said Patel lives not only in history but also in the hearts of all Indians.
He added, “Sardar Sahib used to see our country as one body, as a living entity. Therefore, his 'Ek Bharat' also meant that in which everyone has equal opportunities, has the right to dream the same.”
PM Modi said that India is becoming an attractive destination for investment, adding that “we must empower all to achieve goals.”
“Each decision needs to be calibrated for the development of India,” PM Modi said.
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Home Minister Amit Shah pays tribute
Meanwhile, Home Minister Amit Shah also paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the country’s first deputy prime minister and home minister, at the Statue of Unity in Gujarat’s Kevadia.
Amit Shah paid a floral tribute to the 182-metre-tall statue of Sardar Patel as he addressed a function organised on the occasion of ‘Rashtriya Ekta Divas’ in Kevadia.
"Kevadia is not the name of any place, it has become a place of pilgrimage. A pilgrimage place of unity of the nation, a pilgrimage site of patriotism and today this sky-touching Statue of Unity is giving a message to the whole world that the future of India is bright," Amit Shah said.
He highlighted Sardar Patel’s contribution to India’s freedom struggle, adding, “It is unfortunate that attempts were made to forget Sardar Patel. After independence, his contributions were never given due respect. He was neither given Bharat Ratna nor proper respect. Situation changed. He was given Bharat Ratna and this world's tallest statue is before us to see.”
The Union home minister also praised Sardar Patel for his resolve to make ‘akhand Bharat’.
#NationalUnityDay program, Live from Kevadia, Gujarat. https://t.co/Jeqd1HkQt4
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) October 31, 2021
“National Unity Day has a unique importance. Today's National Unity Day is a day of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav…After independence, while leaving, Britishers had conspired to divide into several pieces. Sardar Patel foiled that conspiracy and resolved to make 'akhand Bharat’,” Amit Shah said during function at Kevadia.
