New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfilled Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s vision of a united India by abrogating Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. Shah explained that while certain princely states had initially shown hesitation in merging with India, Sardar Patel faced every challenge with firm resolve and determination.
He emphasized that due to Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir could never fully integrate with the rest of India. “By removing Article 370, Prime Minister Narendra Modi completed Sardar Patel’s unfinished work, and today we truly have an ‘Akhanda Bharat’ (undivided India),” Shah said. He also criticized past Congress governments, claiming they failed to accord Sardar Patel the respect he rightfully deserved. Shah noted that even the conferment of the Bharat Ratna to Patel was delayed by 41 years.
Flagging off the Run for Unity event at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on the occasion of Sardar Patel’s 150th birth anniversary, Shah recalled that after India’s independence, the British had decided to leave the country divided into 562 princely states. “At that time, the world believed that integrating these 562 states into a single nation would be impossible. But Sardar Patel achieved this monumental task in a remarkably short span,” he said.
Highlighting Patel’s contribution, Shah remarked that the modern map of India is the result of his foresight and relentless efforts. He lamented that during Congress rule, neither a grand memorial nor a commemorative site was established in Patel’s honor. “It was only when Narendra Modi became the Chief Minister of Gujarat that he envisioned the Statue of Unity as a tribute to Sardar Patel and made it a reality,” Shah said.
He further informed that the foundation stone for the statue was laid on October 31, 2013. Standing at 182 meters, the statue was completed in just 57 months using iron collected from farmers’ tools across the country. Shah added that nearly 25,000 tonnes of iron gathered through this national campaign were utilized in its construction.
