Narmada (Gujarat) [India] : In a veiled attack on Congress, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that attempts were made post-Independence to forget Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and his contributions, but the situation has changed as the world’s tallest statue is a testimony of the changed realities. “Unfortunate 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. The situation has changed. He was given Bharat Ratna and this world’s tallest statue is before us to see,” Shah said while addressing the ‘Rashtriya Ekta Divas’ (National Unity Day) programme at Kevadia in Gujarat’s Narmada district to mark Sardar Patel’s 146th birth anniversary. Shah further said that in 2014, when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) formed the government at the Centre, October 31 was introduced as National Unity Day.
National Unity Day has a unique importance. Today's #NationalUnityDay is a day of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav…After independence, while leaving, Britishers had conspired to divide into several pieces. #SardarPatel foiled that conspiracy & resolved to make 'akhand Bharat': HM Shah pic.twitter.com/T5m9vqQfV5
“When there was a change in the country in 2014, the government was formed under the leadership of Modi ji, then it was decided to celebrate October 31 as National Unity Day. This was done so that the struggle that Sardar Patel fought for independence for years continues to inspire the younger generation of the country,” Shah noted. Earlier today, he paid floral tributes to Patel at his 182-metre tall statue, which is the tallest in the world. The statue was inaugurated in October 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking at the event, Shah said that Kevadia has become a pilgrimage site. “Kevadia is not just the name of a place, it has become a shrine – a shrine of national unity, of patriotism. This sky-high statue of Sardar Patel is giving a message to the world that India’s future is bright, that nobody can damage the unity and integrity of India,” he said. Sardar Patel, who is credited with uniting all 562 princely states of the pre-independent country to build the Republic of India, passed away on December 15, 1950.
Amit Shah attends ‘Rashtriya Ekta Divas’ in Gujarat’s Kevadia, pays tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Kevadia (Gujarat) [India] : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 146th birth anniversary at the Statue of Unity in Gujarat’s Kevadia. Shah presided over the ‘Rashtriya Ekta Divas’ (National Unity Day) function at Kevadia where he also paid floral tribute to Sadar Patel’s 182-metre-tall statue. Men’s hockey team captain, Olympian Manpreet Singh and other athletes also participated in the parade at Statue of Unity in Kevadia today. On the occasion of the 75th year of India’s Independence, 75 cyclists from ITBP, SSB, CISF, CRPF and BSF, who have travelled approximately 9,000 km from various parts of the country to Kevadiya, will be taking part in the event as per an official statement. A total of 101 motorcyclists from police of the states of Tripura, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir and Gujarat, who have travelled from the East, South, North and West of the country to Kevadiya covering approximately 9,200 km will also be part of the event.
Kevadia is not just the name of a place, it has become a shrine – a shrine of national unity, of patriotism. This sky-high statue of #SardarPatel is giving a message to the world that India's future is bright, that nobody can damage the unity & integrity of India: HM Amit Shah pic.twitter.com/KGSOaFpfoL
Twenty-three medal winners in the Olympic Games, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, including Manpreet Singh, the captain of India’s Bronze winning Men’s Hockey team at the Tokyo Olympics will also be participating in the event. National Unity Day is celebrated in India on October 31. It was introduced by the Central government in 2014. The day is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhai Patel who had a major role in the political integration of India.
