Gandhiji seems incomplete without Sardar, they formed an unbreakable pair:Modi

New Delhi, 31 October 2014

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel gave us one nation and it is now for us to turn it into a superior India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Friday at an event to mark the birth anniversary of the country’s first home minister.

Sardar Patel “gave us one India” and it is our responsibility to “turn into sreshta (superior) Bharat”, said Modi at the Rashtriya Ekta Divas (National Unity Day) programme at the expansive Vijay Chowk.

Modi, who was dressed in a white kurta pyjama with a red coloured shawl draped on his left shoulder, said India was a country of diversity, a “guldasta” (bunch of flowers).

“Our culture and legacy is of unity in diversity. Let us rise over differences of creed, community, language,” Modi said.

He said the country’s historical legacy should not be divided on the basis of ideologies.

“The country which forgets history can never create history, so for a country filled with aspirations, a country whose youth has dream, historical legacy always inspires. We should not divide historical legacy on the basis of ideologies,” Modi said.

He said Mahatma Gandhi seems incomplete without Sardar Patel and they formed an “unbreakable pair”.

Modi also referred to Patel’s role in integration of states after Independence.

He said Sardar Patel brought farmers into the freedom struggle and played a key role in organising Dandi yatra.

Modi referred to former prime minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination on this day in 1984 and subsequent anti-Sikh riots and expressed pain over the “incident that hurt the unity of the country”.

The prime ministered administered a pledge to people, including a large number of youth gathered early in the morning at Vijay Chowk, and said that there was need to keep moving forward with the mantra of unity.

He also flagged off a “Run for Unity” and also participated in it. He briskly walked on the Rajpath as hundreds of runners swarmed around him. His security personnel had a tough time in keeping people at bay.

The Run for Unity covered a distance of about two km from Vijay Chowk to India Gate.

Modi has been referring to Sardar Patel’s legacy when he was chief minister of Gujarat and in his election speeches.

The Gujarat government is building a 182 metre statue of Patel, also known as “Iron Man of India”.

Modi government has decided to observe the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel as the National Unity Day. Patel was born Oct 31, 1875.

PM: Sardar Patel gave us “Ek Bharat” – let us all make “Shreshth Bharat”

Enthusiastic youth persuade Prime Minister to lead “Run For Unity” after flagging it off

Flagging off the “Run For Unity” on the occasion of Sardar Patel Jayanti, the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today recalled the mantra of “Ek Bharat: Shresth Bharat” and said that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel gave us “Ek Bharat” (United India), and we should all work towards creating “Shresth Bharat” (Foremost India). He was addressing a large gathering of youth and people from all walks of life, at Rajpath in New Delhi.

The Prime Minister referred to Sardar Patel Jayanti as an inspirational moment, and said a country that forgets history, cannot create history. He said India`s glorious heritage will always be an inspiration for its aspirational youth. He reminded the people that India`s rich heritage can never be divided on ideological lines. He remembered former Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi, noting that today was her death anniversary.

Mentioning Sardar Patel`s unique contribution to the freedom struggle, the Prime Minister drew a comparison of the Sardar`s relationship with Mahatma Gandhi, to the relationship between Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Paramahansa. The Prime Minister also spoke of Chanakya`s vision of a united India, and said the Sardar had, through his strategic foresight, converted that dream into reality.

On India`s unity in diversity, the Prime Minister said this diversity gives us strength. He said India`s people should always be vigilant to guard this unique strength of unity in diversity. He regretted that thirty years ago, India`s fabric of unity in diversity had been attacked, as one specific community had been targeted.

The Prime Minister administered the pledge of unity to the assembled people and later flagged off the Run For Unity. Even as he exhorted people to begin the run, the assembled youth enthusiastically waited for the Prime Minister to lead the run. Eventually, the Prime Minister led the Run For Unity.

Union Ministers Smt. Sushma Swaraj, Shri Venkaiah Naidu and Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, and Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Shri Najeeb Jung were present on the occasion.

Earlier, the Prime Minister paid floral tributes at the statue of Sardar Patel, at Patel Chowk on Parliament Street.

PM pays tributes to Sardar Patel on his birth anniversary

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has paid tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on the occasion of his birth anniversary.

“भारत माँ के महान सपूत, लौह पुरूष सरदार वल्लभ भाई पटेल की जयंती पर शत् शत् नमन। I bow to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary. Sardar Patel`s life is a journey of deep-rooted courage, dedication and service to the Motherland. He is truly the architect of Modern India,” the Prime Minister said.

Sidelights – Run For Unity Event at Rajpath, New Delhi

• PM`s arrival was greeted with slogans and cheers. `Bharat Mata ki Jai` resounded everywhere.

• PM led the chant of `Sardar Patel amar rahe` before addressing the gathering.

• PM dwelled at length on the unbreakable bond between Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel in his speech.

• Run for Unity was flagged off by the PM. The enthusiastic crowd competed with each other to participate. PM came down from the stage to be among the people. PM also ran some distance to encourage the participants. People kept on pouring in the run long after he left.

• Youth and children formed the most enthusiastic contingent among the runners.

• Sports personalities including Olympics, Asiad and Commonwealth medal winners and cricketers drew huge applause from the crowd.

• Illustrating India`s Unity in Diversity, the Prime Minister said:

भाषा अनेक, भाव एक…
राज्य अनेक, राष्ट्र एक…
पंथ अनेक, लक्ष्य एक…
बोली अनेक, स्वर एक…
रंग अनेक, तिरंगा एक…
समाज अनेक, भारत एक…
रिवाज अनेक, संस्कार एक…
कार्य अनेक, संकल्प एक…
राह अनेक, मंज़िल एक…
चेहरे अनेक, मुस्कान एक…