Kevadia colony, 31 October 2013

Speaking at stone laying function of Statue of Unity – the world’s tallest statue featuring Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel – 3.5 km south of Sardar Sarovar Narmada dam in central Gujarat, Chief Minister Narendra Modi today said nation needs Sardar Patel’s true secularism.

He said, “Prime Minister said that Sardar Patel was true secular. We welcome it, and want same secularism that Sardar Patel believed in. We have highest respect for Sardar Patel for his secular values. He didn’t preach secularism for vote bank politics. Sardar Patel was secular, but that didn’t stop him from building Somnath temple. Sardar Patel helped unite the nation and not divide it. Let’s take the country forward with Sardar Patel’s secularism.”

Modi raised a question why Congress didn’t oppose construction of Mahatma Mandir but only Sardar statue?

Modi took note of the fact that today the union government has to publish ads offering tribute to Sardar Patel in newspapers across the country. Modi described this as ‘Gujarat effect’.

Modi said, “I am saying it with sadness, and I also know that my words are heard by PM, his team and his boss’s team. Gates are to be installed at Sardar Sarovar dam. All three states – Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have finished the rehabilitation work and there are Congress and BJP both party government there. All centre has to do is call a meeting and say give approval to installation of gates, but for months nothing is happening. The reason is clear. Today when Rajasthan and Gujarat need water and Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra need electricity, there can not be any politics on this issue. I am sure this voice will reach PM and he will realize that nation is bigger than parties. I say you come for the inauguration. I will not even come if you don’t want my presence, but please at least do it.”

Modi said slavery is still there in our mind. Take example of union budget speech that was delivered at 5.00 pm in Indian parliament because Britishers time of kicking off the parliament session was 11.00 am. Yashwant Sinha, the then FM of India under Vajpayee government changed the timing of presenting union budget from year 2001.

Modi made a sensational claim that some “friends” have taken up a contract to eliminate him. However, he did not mention who those particular persons were. It is to be noted that Modi had described Nitish Kumar as “friend” without naming him in Patna rally on 27 October.

“Some friends of mine have taken up a contract to finish me, I don’t know what kind of filth are they spreading,” Modi said.

Narendrabhai looking at Sadhu bet 3.5 km south from Sardar sarovar Narmada dam where Statue of unity project will come up.