<p>On the occasion of National Unity Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Statue of Unity in Gujarat and paid tribute&nbsp;to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Patel was India’s first Home Minister and his birth anniversary is celebrated as National Unity Day in the country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>PM Modi commemorated&nbsp;Sardar Patel as a visionary leader and administered the National Unity Day pledge to the public at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat. He paid floral tributes and also performed ‘jalabhishek’ (showered water) at the feet of Sardar Patel’s statue in Kevadia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/citizens-dont-have-right-to-know-sources-of-political-parties-fundings-indian-govt-to-supreme-court-653220">Citizens don’t have right to know sources of political parties' fundings: Indian govt to Supreme Court</a></p>

<p>Speaking at the event, the Prime Minister promoted&nbsp;the message of the spirit of unity and brotherhood in the society.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>PM Modi at National Unity Day event in Gujarat</strong></h2>

<p>Addressing an event on National Unity Day, PM Modi called to make India a developed country in the next 25 years. He said that the next 25 years will be the most important for the country. Modi emphasised that India stood as a beacon of hope when the world was facing very high inflation, which shows that India has the spirit to deliver and become a world leader.</p>

<p>He also threw light on appeasement politics and said that it is the worst thing that is taking place in the country. He mentioned Section 370 and said that the “wall of Sec 370” between India and Kashmir has been removed which helped the people of Kashmir to come out of the shadows of terrorism.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Dignitaries pay respect to Sardar Patel on his birth anniversary</strong></h2>

<p>Earlier in the day, PM Modi remembered Sardar Patel, also known as the Iron Man of India, for his indomitable spirit and visionary statesmanship.</p>

<p>Meanwhile,&nbsp;in Delhi, President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and several other dignitaries also offered floral tributes to Sardar Patel at Patel Chowk on his birth anniversary.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-ed-summons-delhi-cm-arvind-kejriwal-on-november-2-for-questioning-over-excise-policy-case-653230">India: ED summons Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on November 2 for questioning over excise policy case</a></p>

<p>In a post on X, Shah said unity and prosperity of India was the sole purpose of Patel’s life.</p>

<p>"Sardar Saheb's dedicated life to the nation and nation-building work as the country's first Home Minister will always inspire us. Tributes to Iron Man Sardar Patel on his birth anniversary and best wishes to all the countrymen on Rashtriya Ekta Divas (National Unity Day)," he wrote.</p>

<p>Born in Gujarat in 1875, Sardar Patel was a lawyer and emerged as a leading Congress leader and associate of Mahatma Gandhi during the independence struggle. As the first Home Minister of independent India, he put efforts to unite hundreds of princely states into the Union of India.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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On the occasion of National Unity Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Statue of Unity in Gujarat and paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Patel was India’s first Home Minister and his birth anniversary is celebrated as National Unity Day in the country.

On the occasion of National Unity Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Statue of Unity in Gujarat and paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Patel was India’s first Home Minister and his birth anniversary is celebrated as National Unity Day in the country. PM Modi commemorated Sardar Patel as a visionary leader and administered the National Unity Day pledge to the public at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat. He paid floral tributes and also performed ‘jalabhishek’ (showered water) at the feet of Sardar Patel’s statue in Kevadia. Also Read | Citizens don’t have right to know sources of political parties' fundings: Indian govt to Supreme Court Speaking at the event, the Prime Minister promoted the message of the spirit of unity and brotherhood in the society. PM Modi at National Unity Day event in Gujarat Addressing an event on National Unity Day, PM Modi called to make India a developed country in the next 25 years. He said that the next 25 years will be the most important for the country. Modi emphasised that India stood as a beacon of hope when the world was facing very high inflation, which shows that India has the spirit to deliver and become a world leader. He also threw light on appeasement politics and said that it is the worst thing that is taking place in the country. He mentioned Section 370 and said that the “wall of Sec 370” between India and Kashmir has been removed which helped the people of Kashmir to come out of the shadows of terrorism. Dignitaries pay respect to Sardar Patel on his birth anniversary Earlier in the day, PM Modi remembered Sardar Patel, also known as the Iron Man of India, for his indomitable spirit and visionary statesmanship. Meanwhile, in Delhi, President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and several other dignitaries also offered floral tributes to Sardar Patel at Patel Chowk on his birth anniversary. Also Read | India: ED summons Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on November 2 for questioning over excise policy case In a post on X, Shah said unity and prosperity of India was the sole purpose of Patel’s life. "Sardar Saheb's dedicated life to the nation and nation-building work as the country's first Home Minister will always inspire us. Tributes to Iron Man Sardar Patel on his birth anniversary and best wishes to all the countrymen on Rashtriya Ekta Divas (National Unity Day)," he wrote. Born in Gujarat in 1875, Sardar Patel was a lawyer and emerged as a leading Congress leader and associate of Mahatma Gandhi during the independence struggle. As the first Home Minister of independent India, he put efforts to unite hundreds of princely states into the Union of India. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

National Unity Day: PM Modi pays tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary

75 years since Independence, India today comprises of 29 states and 8 Union Territories. Before the 1947 partition, India had around 565 princely states. Here's how Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel unified India.

India@75: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel- The unifier of India

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tribute to India`s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at Statue of Unity on the occasion of his 144th birth anniversary.</p>

<p>"Tributes to the great Sardar Patel on his Jayanti. His contribution to our nation is monumental," he tweeted earlier in the day.</p>

<p>In October last year, Modi had inaugurated 'Statue of Unity'&nbsp;on the occasion of Patel's 143rd birth anniversary.</p>

<p>He had announced to build the statue when he was Gujarat's Chief Minister.Located on Sadhu-Bet Island, Gujarat, the 182-metre tall statue which occupies over 20,000 square meters is the tallest statue in the world.Since 2014, October 31 is observed as National Unity Day and people from all walks of life participate in the Run for Unity.</p>

<p>In his 'Mann Ki Baat'&nbsp;programme on Sunday, Prime Minister Modi had urged people to participate in large numbers in the 'Run for Unity'.</p>

<p>"Friends, as you know that October 31 every year since 2014 has been celebrated as 'National Unity Day'. This day imparts the message to protect the unity, integrity and security of our country at any cost. On October 31, this year too 'Run for Unity'&nbsp;is being organized like the previous years. 'Run for Unity'&nbsp;is a symbol of unison, that the nation being united, is moving in one direction and collectively aims for- One goal! Ek Bharat, Shreshth Bharat," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tribute to India`s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at Statue of Unity on the occasion of his 144th birth anniversary.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tribute to India`s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at Statue of Unity on the occasion of his 144th birth anniversary. "Tributes to the great Sardar Patel on his Jayanti. His contribution to our nation is monumental," he tweeted earlier in the day. In October last year, Modi had inaugurated 'Statue of Unity' on the occasion of Patel's 143rd birth anniversary. He had announced to build the statue when he was Gujarat's Chief Minister.Located on Sadhu-Bet Island, Gujarat, the 182-metre tall statue which occupies over 20,000 square meters is the tallest statue in the world.Since 2014, October 31 is observed as National Unity Day and people from all walks of life participate in the Run for Unity. In his 'Mann Ki Baat' programme on Sunday, Prime Minister Modi had urged people to participate in large numbers in the 'Run for Unity'. "Friends, as you know that October 31 every year since 2014 has been celebrated as 'National Unity Day'. This day imparts the message to protect the unity, integrity and security of our country at any cost. On October 31, this year too 'Run for Unity' is being organized like the previous years. 'Run for Unity' is a symbol of unison, that the nation being united, is moving in one direction and collectively aims for- One goal! Ek Bharat, Shreshth Bharat," he said.

PM Modi pays floral tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at Statue of Unity

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again targeted the Nehru-Gandhi family Saturday, saying farmers would not have been "ruined" had Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel been the country's first prime minister.</p>

<p>Addressing a rally here ahead of the November 28 Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls, he accused the Congress of "making false promises" and asked the opposition party whether late Indira Gandhi's "Garibi Hatao" (remove poverty) slogan a was a "lie" or not.</p>

<p>The prime minister's comments came in the wake of Congress president Rahul Gandhi accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of "making false promises" to people during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.</p>

<p>Modi also referred to a video clip purportedly showing Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath, saying the Congress leader seeking votes only from a "particular community" was an insult to democracy.</p>

<p>A video clip surfaced last week, purportedly showing Nath telling Muslim leaders to ensure "90 per cent voting" in Muslim-dominated areas.</p>

<p>Modi also ridiculed "namdaar" Rahul Gandhi, saying the Congress chief was not being taken seriously by his own party.</p>

<p>"Farmers are suffering due to the wrong policies of the Congress governments...The result is that farmers are suffering...Now, they (the Congress) are defaming us.</p>

<p>"But the farmers would not have been ruined during the Congress's 55-year-rule had Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel been the country's first prime minister," he said.</p>

<p>The government "remote-controlled by Madam" gave loans to farmers at an interest rate of 15-16 per cent, while the BJP government was giving them interest-free loans, Modi said, in a veiled swipe at UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.</p>

<p>Mandsaur had witnessed intense farmers' protests last year, leading to the death of six protesters in police firing.</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again targeted the Nehru-Gandhi family Saturday, saying farmers would not have been "ruined" had Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel been the country's first prime minister.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again targeted the Nehru-Gandhi family Saturday, saying farmers would not have been "ruined" had Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel been the country's first prime minister. Addressing a rally here ahead of the November 28 Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls, he accused the Congress of "making false promises" and asked the opposition party whether late Indira Gandhi's "Garibi Hatao" (remove poverty) slogan a was a "lie" or not. The prime minister's comments came in the wake of Congress president Rahul Gandhi accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of "making false promises" to people during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Modi also referred to a video clip purportedly showing Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath, saying the Congress leader seeking votes only from a "particular community" was an insult to democracy. A video clip surfaced last week, purportedly showing Nath telling Muslim leaders to ensure "90 per cent voting" in Muslim-dominated areas. Modi also ridiculed "namdaar" Rahul Gandhi, saying the Congress chief was not being taken seriously by his own party. "Farmers are suffering due to the wrong policies of the Congress governments...The result is that farmers are suffering...Now, they (the Congress) are defaming us. "But the farmers would not have been ruined during the Congress's 55-year-rule had Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel been the country's first prime minister," he said. The government "remote-controlled by Madam" gave loans to farmers at an interest rate of 15-16 per cent, while the BJP government was giving them interest-free loans, Modi said, in a veiled swipe at UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Mandsaur had witnessed intense farmers' protests last year, leading to the death of six protesters in police firing.

Had Vallabhbhai Patel been PM, farmers would not have been ruined: PM Modi

<p>The world's tallest statue which portrays one of the founding fathers of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, was unveiled by <a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/pm-narendra-modi-pens-tribute-to-sardar-patel-calls-him-the-maker-of-modern-india-174534">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a> in his home state of Gujarat on Wednesday, the 143rd birth anniversary of Patel.</p>

<p>Sardar Patel, known as the 'Iron Man' was instrumental in the integration of nearly 500 princely states into the Indian union after independence.</p>

<p>"We bow to the great Sardar Patel, the stalwart who unified India and served the nation tirelessly, on his Jayanti," Modi tweeted before inaugurating the statue.</p>

<p>Earlier today, President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and Home Minister Rajnath Singh paid floral tribute to Sardar Patel in New Delhi.</p>

<p>At a height of 182 metres, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/on-statue-of-unity-inaugeration-here-are-top-five-tallest-statues-in-the-world-174352">the iron and bronze statue</a> is twice the size of the Statue of Liberty in the US and cost $420 million to build. Sardar Patel's birth anniversary is being observed as National Unity Day.</p>

<p>"The first challenge was its height. Secondly, like I said, the location was in a remote stretch and the third problem was the structure. The shape of the statue is such that the foundation is narrower than the upper body. So that was a challenge, structure-wise," said PC Vyas, chief engineer of the Statue of Unity project.</p>

<p>It is the tallest statue in the world beating China's Spring Temple Buddha (153 metres).</p>

<p>Located in Sadhu-Bet Island, Gujarat, the statue occupies over 20,000 square meters and is surrounded by a 12 square km artificial lake.&nbsp; The total project cost is estimated to be Rs. 2,989 crore.</p>

<p>Online booking to visit the Statue of Unity has opened with a Rs 350 admission fee for the 153-metre-high observation deck.</p>

<p>Authorities say they expect the statue will attract 15,000 visitors a day to the remote corner of Gujarat, which is about 100 kilometres from the nearest city of Vadodora.</p>

<p>India is also working on a giant statue of 17th-century warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji, riding a horse and brandishing a sword, which should dominate the Mumbai shoreline from 2021. The current design would make it 212 metres high.</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VRoBrf1kulM" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The world's tallest statue which portrays one of the founding fathers of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his home state of Gujarat on Wednesday, the 143rd birth anniversary of Patel.

The world's tallest statue which portrays one of the founding fathers of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his home state of Gujarat on Wednesday, the 143rd birth anniversary of Patel. Sardar Patel, known as the 'Iron Man' was instrumental in the integration of nearly 500 princely states into the Indian union after independence. "We bow to the great Sardar Patel, the stalwart who unified India and served the nation tirelessly, on his Jayanti," Modi tweeted before inaugurating the statue. Earlier today, President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and Home Minister Rajnath Singh paid floral tribute to Sardar Patel in New Delhi. At a height of 182 metres, the iron and bronze statue is twice the size of the Statue of Liberty in the US and cost $420 million to build. Sardar Patel's birth anniversary is being observed as National Unity Day. "The first challenge was its height. Secondly, like I said, the location was in a remote stretch and the third problem was the structure. The shape of the statue is such that the foundation is narrower than the upper body. So that was a challenge, structure-wise," said PC Vyas, chief engineer of the Statue of Unity project. It is the tallest statue in the world beating China's Spring Temple Buddha (153 metres). Located in Sadhu-Bet Island, Gujarat, the statue occupies over 20,000 square meters and is surrounded by a 12 square km artificial lake. The total project cost is estimated to be Rs. 2,989 crore. Online booking to visit the Statue of Unity has opened with a Rs 350 admission fee for the 153-metre-high observation deck. Authorities say they expect the statue will attract 15,000 visitors a day to the remote corner of Gujarat, which is about 100 kilometres from the nearest city of Vadodora. India is also working on a giant statue of 17th-century warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji, riding a horse and brandishing a sword, which should dominate the Mumbai shoreline from 2021. The current design would make it 212 metres high.

'Statue of Unity', world's tallest, unveiled by PM Modi as tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Anil Sutar, the son of 'Statue of Unity' sculptor, works behind the scene to create gigantic dreams possible

<p>Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi an "iron man" for accelerating the pace of development in the country.</p>

<p>The "Iron Man" sobriquet is used to describe the first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for his uncompromising commitment to unify the country post-Independence.</p>

<p>Addressing a gathering of monks in Visnagar town in Mehsana district, Adityanath also equated Modi's leadership with that of Mahatma Gandhi and Patel.</p>

<p>"Immediately after Independence, when Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had visited Saurashtra, he pledged to renovate the Somnath Temple. This pledge could have been taken for other parts of the country as well but it was the effect of Gujarat's soil... It's a holy land that gave leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to the country in difficult times.</p>

<p>"And today, the country is similarly surging rapidly ahead under the leadership of iron man Narendra Modiji to reach the top of the world, something which we had never dreamt before," he said.&nbsp</p>

<p>Adityanath, the chief abbot of Gorakhnath Mutt in Uttar Pradesh, was in Visnagar to attend a religious programme of the Nath sect. He previously visited the town in December 2016 following the death of Mahant Gulabnath.</p>

<p>Adityanath's Gujarat counterpart Vijay Rupani said the Somnath Temple would not have been vandalised by foreign invaders had the country not been divided along caste lines.</p>

<p>He said casteism and untouchability kept India divided.</p>

<p>"There is a need to launch a fight against this. I appeal to you seers to take a pledge to save the religion... Modiji is working on to take the country to newer heights," he said.&nbsp</p>

<p>Adityanath invited the seers present there to attend the 2019 Kumbh Mela, to be held in Uttar Pradesh.&nbsp</p>

<p>He said Modi's "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas" slogan is a spinoff of the Sanatan Dharma philosophy, which also calls for taking everybody along.</p>

<p><br />
"It is the first time that we will take a pledge and frame a policy that an Indian, whatever community he belongs to, will get shelter. And today, every poor is getting a roof on his head, getting food, electricity etc. Development has reached remote corners," the UP chief minister said.</p>

<p><br />
He hailed Modi for being instrumental in getting UNESCO recognition for Yoga and Kumbh festival.&nbsp<br />
&nbsp</p>


The "Iron Man" sobriquet is used to describe the first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for his uncompromising commitment to unify the country post-Independence.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi an "iron man" for accelerating the pace of development in the country. The "Iron Man" sobriquet is used to describe the first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for his uncompromising commitment to unify the country post-Independence. Addressing a gathering of monks in Visnagar town in Mehsana district, Adityanath also equated Modi's leadership with that of Mahatma Gandhi and Patel. "Immediately after Independence, when Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had visited Saurashtra, he pledged to renovate the Somnath Temple. This pledge could have been taken for other parts of the country as well but it was the effect of Gujarat's soil... It's a holy land that gave leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to the country in difficult times. "And today, the country is similarly surging rapidly ahead under the leadership of iron man Narendra Modiji to reach the top of the world, something which we had never dreamt before," he said. Adityanath, the chief abbot of Gorakhnath Mutt in Uttar Pradesh, was in Visnagar to attend a religious programme of the Nath sect. He previously visited the town in December 2016 following the death of Mahant Gulabnath. Adityanath's Gujarat counterpart Vijay Rupani said the Somnath Temple would not have been vandalised by foreign invaders had the country not been divided along caste lines. He said casteism and untouchability kept India divided. "There is a need to launch a fight against this. I appeal to you seers to take a pledge to save the religion... Modiji is working on to take the country to newer heights," he said. Adityanath invited the seers present there to attend the 2019 Kumbh Mela, to be held in Uttar Pradesh. He said Modi's "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas" slogan is a spinoff of the Sanatan Dharma philosophy, which also calls for taking everybody along. "It is the first time that we will take a pledge and frame a policy that an Indian, whatever community he belongs to, will get shelter. And today, every poor is getting a roof on his head, getting food, electricity etc. Development has reached remote corners," the UP chief minister said. He hailed Modi for being instrumental in getting UNESCO recognition for Yoga and Kumbh festival.

Yogi calls PM 'iron man' for fast-tracking development

<p>The BJP government in Gujarat is aiming to inaugurate the 182-metre tall &#39;Statue of Unity&#39;, dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, on October 31, the birth anniversary of India&#39;s first home minister.</p>

<p>The towering monument, being erected at Sadhu Bet, 3.32 km from the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada river at Kevadia, about 100-km from here, will be ready for inauguration on October 31, Gujarat Chief Secretary J N Singh said.</p>

<p>Singh yesterday visited the project site to take stock of the ongoing work.</p>

<p>&quot;I visited the site to take stock of the project and ensure its timely execution. The &#39;Statue of Unity&#39; will be ready for inauguration on October 31,&quot; he told.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The foundation stone of the monument, a dream project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was laid on October 31, 2013, coinciding with the 138th birth anniversary of Patel, popularly known as the &#39;Iron Man of India&#39;.</p>

<p>Modi, who was then Gujarat Chief Minister, laid the foundation stone of the nearly Rs 3,000-crore project, being built on a public?private partnership (PPP) basis by engineering giant L&amp;T under the supervision of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL).</p>

<p>The memorial is dedicated to Patel, credited with integrating 562 princely states with the Union of India.</p>

<p>Post completion, the &#39;Statue of Unity&#39; will be the world&#39;s tallest statue, according to the project&#39;s website.</p>

<p>The &#39;Statue of Unity&#39; will provide visitors a meaningful experience that both educates and entertains, by focusing on Patel&#39;s personage, life, and accomplishments.</p>

<p>Additionally, a viewing gallery at around 500-feet will provide visitors a spectacular view of the Sardar Sarovar Dam and its environs, the website said.</p>

<p>The statue is going to be a &quot;matchless&quot; memorial across the world, Singh said.</p>

<p>&quot;This place will emerge as a world-class tourist destination,&quot; said the chief secretary.</p>

<p>The project will also house an audio-visual gallery, a laser light and sound show on the life of Patel and a virtual tour of the Sardar Sarovar Dam, among other things.</p>

<p>The venture also includes setting up a tribal museum, Singh said.&nbsp;</p>


The foundation stone of the monument, a dream project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was laid on October 31, 2013

The BJP government in Gujarat is aiming to inaugurate the 182-metre tall 'Statue of Unity', dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, on October 31, the birth anniversary of India's first home minister. The towering monument, being erected at Sadhu Bet, 3.32 km from the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada river at Kevadia, about 100-km from here, will be ready for inauguration on October 31, Gujarat Chief Secretary J N Singh said. Singh yesterday visited the project site to take stock of the ongoing work. "I visited the site to take stock of the project and ensure its timely execution. The 'Statue of Unity' will be ready for inauguration on October 31," he told. The foundation stone of the monument, a dream project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was laid on October 31, 2013, coinciding with the 138th birth anniversary of Patel, popularly known as the 'Iron Man of India'. Modi, who was then Gujarat Chief Minister, laid the foundation stone of the nearly Rs 3,000-crore project, being built on a public?private partnership (PPP) basis by engineering giant L&T under the supervision of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL). The memorial is dedicated to Patel, credited with integrating 562 princely states with the Union of India. Post completion, the 'Statue of Unity' will be the world's tallest statue, according to the project's website. The 'Statue of Unity' will provide visitors a meaningful experience that both educates and entertains, by focusing on Patel's personage, life, and accomplishments. Additionally, a viewing gallery at around 500-feet will provide visitors a spectacular view of the Sardar Sarovar Dam and its environs, the website said. The statue is going to be a "matchless" memorial across the world, Singh said. "This place will emerge as a world-class tourist destination," said the chief secretary. The project will also house an audio-visual gallery, a laser light and sound show on the life of Patel and a virtual tour of the Sardar Sarovar Dam, among other things. The venture also includes setting up a tribal museum, Singh said.

'Statue of Unity' to be inaugurated on Oct 31: Gujarat govt

<p>October 31, 2017, is the 142nd birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. Unlike the past, political parties of all orientations particularly BJP and Congress are into competitive contest to appropriate Sardar Patel. Undoubtedly, it is a welcome sign. As a mark of respect, all the leaders who served immensely in shaping India as a modern united country deserve special tribute.</p>

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<h5>Sardar Patel&rsquo;s contributions are immense and thus he deserves special remembrance by the State, groups and individuals.</h5>
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<p>It does not mean that political regimes should prefer one leader over another or exaggerate the contributions of one while hiding the others to suit their ideological temperament. It has happened in the past and it is happening now. For many of us, both are wrong. And two wrongs cannot make right.</p>

<p>Sardar Patel&rsquo;s contributions are immense and thus he deserves special remembrance by the State, groups and individuals. His personality was multifaceted. He was known for a strong sense of determination, quick decision-making, straightforwardness in discussions, firmness in action, believe in unity in diversity and deep sense of patriotic pride. Alas! These characteristics are visibly lacking in the present leadership.</p>

<p>In the past, Congress has named many policies, monuments, places, roads, institutions after Sardar Patel. But comparing the people belonging to Nehru dynasty, the name of other stalwarts did not figure much in its governance model of commemoration. It is because of this gap, BJP is able to gain the strategic edge in appropriating them.</p>

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<h5>The much-hyped World&rsquo;s tallest statue of Sardar Patel referred as Statue of Unity (SOU) with a projected cost of more than two-thousand crores is already in circulation.</h5>
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<p>Sardar Patel is now an easy co-opt for the BJP. &nbsp;October 31 is declared as the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) in 2014. The much-hyped World&rsquo;s tallest statue of Sardar Patel referred as Statue of Unity (SOU) with a projected cost of more than two-thousand crores is already in circulation. Interestingly, public sector companies like ONGC, HPCL, IOCL and OIL have decided to contribute over hundreds of crore towards the construction of this statue as a part of their corporate social responsibility. These are extravaganza but often justified because similar things had been done in the past too.</p>

<p>Ministries of the Centre and States are giving special focus to observe &ldquo;Nation Salutes Sardar Vallabbhai Patel&rdquo; on October 31, 2017. Cultural, literary and sports programmes including essay competitions and &lsquo;Unity Run&rsquo; are organised across India. Despite all these, the renewed and unprecedented interest of the BJP in Sardar Patel is more strategic than its love for the ideas and actions of Sardar Patel. It can be seen in overuse of these exercises in the electoral campaigns beginning with 2014. Sardar Patel hardly gained the present prominence in the framework of Narendra Modi when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat for one and half decade.</p>

<p>One may agree or disagree on the methods and approaches of Sardar Patel, but his commitment to preserving India&rsquo;s unity cannot be doubted. He is rightly credited along with V.P. Menon to save the country from balkanisation by putting up the representatives of more than 500 states on one platform and transforming them into 14 administrative units and later shaping them into uniform administrative, financial and judicial mechanism of India. At many instances, his impersonal and hard actions were the outcome of the then expediency than conscious choice. Despite achieving this herculean task, Sardar Patel had neither tried to adopt the narcissistic politics nor indulged in populist and ideological actions.</p>

<p>Though he has a dominant presence in the organisational wing of Congress from the late 1930s until his death in 1950, he has neither used principally untoward means to achieve personal gains nor side-lined his political opponents within the party. It can be seen in his acceptance of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad as the President of the Congress and later stepping aside to allow Jawaharlal Nehru to become Prime Minister despite being the choice of the majority of the political leaders in the provinces. However, the death of Patel in 1950 was a great loss for the Congress but a gain for the Nehru family as the absence of his unique leadership clearly drifted the party towards dynastic ambitions that finally culminated in the virtual decay of the Congress in today&rsquo;s time.</p>

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<h5>Sardar Patel appreciated the service role of RSS and later critiqued it for its supposed role in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and banned the organisation for a year.</h5>
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<p>Sardar Patel&rsquo;s biographer Narhari Parikh has highlighted that Patel was always willing to fight for what he considered right. He always took a procedural route to express his anguish while respecting the party hierarchy. At the same time, he accommodated dissent and a great variety of opinions. For instance, his opposition to socialist politics was paternalistic as can be seen in his offer to Purshottam Trikamdas, a renowned socialist to form the government in the State of Bombay to prove the promises of a clean and efficient government. Similarly, despite being loyal to Congress, Sardar Patel appreciated the service role of RSS and later critiqued it for its supposed role in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and banned the organisation for a year.</p>

<p>Ironically, BJP has emerged as the ardent admirer of Sardar Patel but without subscribing to his leadership quality, understanding his idea of patriotism and treatment to secular ethos. The uniqueness of Patel&rsquo;s leadership lies in its judicious character that treated everyone with the same yardstick. Sardar Patel has certainly believed in strong and united India but his patriotism was rarely rooted in extreme nationalism, in general, or Hindu nationalism. He was a secularist to the core but with a difference of Nehru and Gandhi. Nehru&rsquo;s secularism was religious neutral while Patel&rsquo;s notion of secularism was rooted in his religious and cultural socialisation. Similarly, Gandhi&rsquo;s approach towards secularism was to grant dignified concessions to Muslims while Patel wanted to treat everyone as a citizen without creating minority-majority dyad.</p>

<p>There has always been made an attempt to vitiate the communal atmosphere of the country by looking at things through the polarised spectacles. Contrary to the wishes of Patel, communal harmony has become a unrealised goal. Much against the belief of Patel, he is being glorified as the champion of anti-Muslim tirade. Selective reading and un-contextual quotes of his speeches are cited to support the proposition. In fact, after Independence, it was Patel who asked the people of India in plain-speaking terms, &ldquo;to forget the past, because it is a manly virtue to do so... in India, every Muslim should feel that he is an Indian citizen and has equal rights as an Indian citizen&rdquo;.</p>

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<h5>His dream was to lay the foundation of strong and united India without obliterating the socio-cultural diversities of the country.</h5>
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<p>At the same time, he frankly told Muslims that for &ldquo;a community to think that its interests are different from that of the country in which it lives is a great mistake.&rdquo; He, therefore, advised them that &ldquo;the future of a minority-any minority-is to trust the majority&rdquo;; that they should &ldquo;make friends with others and create a change in the atmosphere.&rdquo; His advice to Muslims is very much in tune with the advices of Dr M.A. Ansari, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and all other patriotic citizens. One can have a detailed understanding of Patel and Muslim relationship while reading the timely book Sardar Patel and Indian Muslims by Rafiq Zakaria published in 1995.</p>

<p>Be that as it may, Sardar Patel&rsquo;s tone and approach may be harsh and at time suspicious, but he never aimed at creating hatred between minorities and majority. Let the country know on his 142nd birth anniversary that Sardar Patel&rsquo;s sense of unity was not sharpened on the artificial disunity between religious and cultural communities. Like many others, his dream was to lay the foundation of strong and united India without obliterating the socio-cultural diversities of the country.</p>


Sardar Patel?s sense of unity was not sharpened on the artificial disunity between religious and cultural communities

October 31, 2017, is the 142nd birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. Unlike the past, political parties of all orientations particularly BJP and Congress are into competitive contest to appropriate Sardar Patel. Undoubtedly, it is a welcome sign. As a mark of respect, all the leaders who served immensely in shaping India as a modern united country deserve special tribute. Sardar Patel’s contributions are immense and thus he deserves special remembrance by the State, groups and individuals. × It does not mean that political regimes should prefer one leader over another or exaggerate the contributions of one while hiding the others to suit their ideological temperament. It has happened in the past and it is happening now. For many of us, both are wrong. And two wrongs cannot make right. Sardar Patel’s contributions are immense and thus he deserves special remembrance by the State, groups and individuals. His personality was multifaceted. He was known for a strong sense of determination, quick decision-making, straightforwardness in discussions, firmness in action, believe in unity in diversity and deep sense of patriotic pride. Alas! These characteristics are visibly lacking in the present leadership. In the past, Congress has named many policies, monuments, places, roads, institutions after Sardar Patel. But comparing the people belonging to Nehru dynasty, the name of other stalwarts did not figure much in its governance model of commemoration. It is because of this gap, BJP is able to gain the strategic edge in appropriating them. The much-hyped World’s tallest statue of Sardar Patel referred as Statue of Unity (SOU) with a projected cost of more than two-thousand crores is already in circulation. × Sardar Patel is now an easy co-opt for the BJP. October 31 is declared as the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) in 2014. The much-hyped World’s tallest statue of Sardar Patel referred as Statue of Unity (SOU) with a projected cost of more than two-thousand crores is already in circulation. Interestingly, public sector companies like ONGC, HPCL, IOCL and OIL have decided to contribute over hundreds of crore towards the construction of this statue as a part of their corporate social responsibility. These are extravaganza but often justified because similar things had been done in the past too. Ministries of the Centre and States are giving special focus to observe “Nation Salutes Sardar Vallabbhai Patel” on October 31, 2017. Cultural, literary and sports programmes including essay competitions and ‘Unity Run’ are organised across India. Despite all these, the renewed and unprecedented interest of the BJP in Sardar Patel is more strategic than its love for the ideas and actions of Sardar Patel. It can be seen in overuse of these exercises in the electoral campaigns beginning with 2014. Sardar Patel hardly gained the present prominence in the framework of Narendra Modi when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat for one and half decade. One may agree or disagree on the methods and approaches of Sardar Patel, but his commitment to preserving India’s unity cannot be doubted. He is rightly credited along with V.P. Menon to save the country from balkanisation by putting up the representatives of more than 500 states on one platform and transforming them into 14 administrative units and later shaping them into uniform administrative, financial and judicial mechanism of India. At many instances, his impersonal and hard actions were the outcome of the then expediency than conscious choice. Despite achieving this herculean task, Sardar Patel had neither tried to adopt the narcissistic politics nor indulged in populist and ideological actions. Though he has a dominant presence in the organisational wing of Congress from the late 1930s until his death in 1950, he has neither used principally untoward means to achieve personal gains nor side-lined his political opponents within the party. It can be seen in his acceptance of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad as the President of the Congress and later stepping aside to allow Jawaharlal Nehru to become Prime Minister despite being the choice of the majority of the political leaders in the provinces. However, the death of Patel in 1950 was a great loss for the Congress but a gain for the Nehru family as the absence of his unique leadership clearly drifted the party towards dynastic ambitions that finally culminated in the virtual decay of the Congress in today’s time. Sardar Patel appreciated the service role of RSS and later critiqued it for its supposed role in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and banned the organisation for a year. × Sardar Patel’s biographer Narhari Parikh has highlighted that Patel was always willing to fight for what he considered right. He always took a procedural route to express his anguish while respecting the party hierarchy. At the same time, he accommodated dissent and a great variety of opinions. For instance, his opposition to socialist politics was paternalistic as can be seen in his offer to Purshottam Trikamdas, a renowned socialist to form the government in the State of Bombay to prove the promises of a clean and efficient government. Similarly, despite being loyal to Congress, Sardar Patel appreciated the service role of RSS and later critiqued it for its supposed role in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and banned the organisation for a year. Ironically, BJP has emerged as the ardent admirer of Sardar Patel but without subscribing to his leadership quality, understanding his idea of patriotism and treatment to secular ethos. The uniqueness of Patel’s leadership lies in its judicious character that treated everyone with the same yardstick. Sardar Patel has certainly believed in strong and united India but his patriotism was rarely rooted in extreme nationalism, in general, or Hindu nationalism. He was a secularist to the core but with a difference of Nehru and Gandhi. Nehru’s secularism was religious neutral while Patel’s notion of secularism was rooted in his religious and cultural socialisation. Similarly, Gandhi’s approach towards secularism was to grant dignified concessions to Muslims while Patel wanted to treat everyone as a citizen without creating minority-majority dyad. There has always been made an attempt to vitiate the communal atmosphere of the country by looking at things through the polarised spectacles. Contrary to the wishes of Patel, communal harmony has become a unrealised goal. Much against the belief of Patel, he is being glorified as the champion of anti-Muslim tirade. Selective reading and un-contextual quotes of his speeches are cited to support the proposition. In fact, after Independence, it was Patel who asked the people of India in plain-speaking terms, “to forget the past, because it is a manly virtue to do so... in India, every Muslim should feel that he is an Indian citizen and has equal rights as an Indian citizen”. His dream was to lay the foundation of strong and united India without obliterating the socio-cultural diversities of the country. × At the same time, he frankly told Muslims that for “a community to think that its interests are different from that of the country in which it lives is a great mistake.” He, therefore, advised them that “the future of a minority-any minority-is to trust the majority”; that they should “make friends with others and create a change in the atmosphere.” His advice to Muslims is very much in tune with the advices of Dr M.A. Ansari, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and all other patriotic citizens. One can have a detailed understanding of Patel and Muslim relationship while reading the timely book Sardar Patel and Indian Muslims by Rafiq Zakaria published in 1995. Be that as it may, Sardar Patel’s tone and approach may be harsh and at time suspicious, but he never aimed at creating hatred between minorities and majority. Let the country know on his 142nd birth anniversary that Sardar Patel’s sense of unity was not sharpened on the artificial disunity between religious and cultural communities. Like many others, his dream was to lay the foundation of strong and united India without obliterating the socio-cultural diversities of the country.

Sardar Patel never wanted hatred between religious communities

<p>Several Congress leaders paid homage to former prime minister Indira Gandhi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Indira Gandhi, the first and to date the only woman prime minister of India was assassinated on October 31, 1984, by her own bodyguards.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Former President Pranab Mukherjee, former Prime minister Manmohan Singh and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi paid floral tribute to Indira Gandhi&#39;s memorial site &quot;Shakti Sthal&quot;.</p>

<p>The day marks the 33rd death anniversary of Ms.Gandhi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The then PM&#39;s assassination was the result of an outrage over &quot;Operation Blue Star&quot; where she had ordered the storming of troops at Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar.</p>

<p>Over a thousand&nbsp;people died in the anti-Sikh riots aftermath of Gandhi&#39;s death.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">&quot;Every drop of my blood will contribute to the growth of this nation and to make it strong and dynamic&quot; - <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiraGandhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiraGandhi</a> <a href="https://t.co/eDzlLtZCN5">pic.twitter.com/eDzlLtZCN5</a></p>
&mdash; Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/925189791502581760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I pay my humble tributes to former PM Smt <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiraGandhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiraGandhi</a> on her Punyatithi. She contributed immensely towards national unity and<br />
integrity.. <a href="https://t.co/bt6NHULOak">pic.twitter.com/bt6NHULOak</a></p>
&mdash; Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) <a href="https://twitter.com/ashokgehlot51/status/925207459484065792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">My tribute to Iron Lady <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiraGandhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiraGandhi</a> ji, the most powerful, respected and charismatic Prime Minister ever, on her 33rd death anniversary?? <a href="https://t.co/WBx7HR7TUQ">pic.twitter.com/WBx7HR7TUQ</a></p>
&mdash; Kuldeep Bishnoi (@bishnoikuldeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/bishnoikuldeep/status/925190864325951488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">What a pic! (Raghu Rai) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiraGandhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiraGandhi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Indira100?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Indira100</a> <a href="https://t.co/JKXYuJObhl">pic.twitter.com/JKXYuJObhl</a></p>
&mdash; Rachit Seth (@rachitseth) <a href="https://twitter.com/rachitseth/status/925060794907213825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Proud Nation remembers 2 great patriots today<br />
Sardar Patel &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiraGandhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiraGandhi</a><br />
<br />
Common thread was<br />
a)Congress Party<br />
b)Both fought communal forces <a href="https://t.co/LzmYxOmgM9">pic.twitter.com/LzmYxOmgM9</a></p>
&mdash; Ajay Maken (@ajaymaken) <a href="https://twitter.com/ajaymaken/status/925208867633446913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/runforunity-people-tried-to-ensure-that-sardar-vallabhbhais-contribution-is-ignored-pm-modi-23176" target="_blank">People tried to ensure contribution of Sardar Patel is forgotten: PM Modi</a></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Indira Gandhi, the first and to date the only woman prime minister of India was assassinated on October 31, 1984, by her own bodyguards

Several Congress leaders paid homage to former prime minister Indira Gandhi. Indira Gandhi, the first and to date the only woman prime minister of India was assassinated on October 31, 1984, by her own bodyguards. Former President Pranab Mukherjee, former Prime minister Manmohan Singh and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi paid floral tribute to Indira Gandhi's memorial site "Shakti Sthal". The day marks the 33rd death anniversary of Ms.Gandhi. The then PM's assassination was the result of an outrage over "Operation Blue Star" where she had ordered the storming of troops at Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar. Over a thousand people died in the anti-Sikh riots aftermath of Gandhi's death. "Every drop of my blood will contribute to the growth of this nation and to make it strong and dynamic" - #IndiraGandhi pic.twitter.com/eDzlLtZCN5 — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 31, 2017 × I pay my humble tributes to former PM Smt #IndiraGandhi on her Punyatithi. She contributed immensely towards national unity and integrity.. pic.twitter.com/bt6NHULOak — Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) October 31, 2017 × My tribute to Iron Lady #IndiraGandhi ji, the most powerful, respected and charismatic Prime Minister ever, on her 33rd death anniversary?? pic.twitter.com/WBx7HR7TUQ — Kuldeep Bishnoi (@bishnoikuldeep) October 31, 2017 × What a pic! (Raghu Rai) #IndiraGandhi #Indira100 pic.twitter.com/JKXYuJObhl — Rachit Seth (@rachitseth) October 30, 2017 × Proud Nation remembers 2 great patriots today Sardar Patel & #IndiraGandhi Common thread was a)Congress Party b)Both fought communal forces pic.twitter.com/LzmYxOmgM9 — Ajay Maken (@ajaymaken) October 31, 2017 × Also read: People tried to ensure contribution of Sardar Patel is forgotten: PM Modi

Congress leaders pay homage to Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary

<p>The Prime Minister today flagged off a &#39;Run for Unity&#39; event to mark the 142nd birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.&nbsp;Patel&#39;s birth anniversary is celebrated as &quot;Rashtriya Ekta Diwas&quot; throughout the country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also&nbsp;read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/runforunity-people-tried-to-ensure-that-sardar-vallabhbhais-contribution-is-ignored-pm-modi-23176" target="_blank">People tried to ensure contribution of Sardar Patel is forgotten: PM Modi</a></p>

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<p>Garland of flowers surrounding the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. (ANI)</p>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to Sardar Patel. (ANI)</p>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p>President Ram Nath Kovind extends the tribute to Sardar Patel. (ANI)</p>
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<p>Vice President Venkaiah Naidu pays floral tribute to Sardar Patel. (ANI)</p>
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<p>The event began with address of Home Minister Rajnath Singh.</p>

<p>Singh in his address at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium&nbsp;pledged to build a new India.</p>

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<p>Prime minister Modi with Home Minister Rajnath Singh at the &#39;Run for Unity&#39; event. (ANI)</p>
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<p>He said that they will fulfill the dream of a unified and great country.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">Ek Bharat, shreshth Bharat ke sapne ko poora karenge: HM Rajnath Singh</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/925180370361884673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Sportspeople Dipa Karmakar, Sardara Singh, Suresh Raina, Karnam Malleswari were also present.</p>

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<p>Indian sports fraternity also paid tribute to Sardar Patel at the &#39;Run for Unity&#39; event. (ANI)</p>
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<p>Run for Unity (ANI)</p>
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<p>The 1.5 km run came to an end near the India Gate C-Hexagon-Shah Jahan Road radial.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from ANI and PTI)</em></p>


Sardar Patel's birth anniversary is celebrated as 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas' throughout the country

The Prime Minister today flagged off a 'Run for Unity' event to mark the 142nd birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Patel's birth anniversary is celebrated as "Rashtriya Ekta Diwas" throughout the country. Also read: People tried to ensure contribution of Sardar Patel is forgotten: PM Modi Garland of flowers surrounding the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. (ANI) × Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to Sardar Patel. (ANI) × President Ram Nath Kovind extends the tribute to Sardar Patel. (ANI) × Vice President Venkaiah Naidu pays floral tribute to Sardar Patel. (ANI) × The event began with address of Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Singh in his address at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium pledged to build a new India. Prime minister Modi with Home Minister Rajnath Singh at the 'Run for Unity' event. (ANI) × He said that they will fulfill the dream of a unified and great country. Ek Bharat, shreshth Bharat ke sapne ko poora karenge: HM Rajnath Singh — ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2017 × Sportspeople Dipa Karmakar, Sardara Singh, Suresh Raina, Karnam Malleswari were also present. Indian sports fraternity also paid tribute to Sardar Patel at the 'Run for Unity' event. (ANI) × Run for Unity (ANI) × The 1.5 km run came to an end near the India Gate C-Hexagon-Shah Jahan Road radial. (With inputs from ANI and PTI)

In pics: Sardar Patel's birth anniversary celebration

<p>Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday&nbsp;said Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was both the architect and unifier of modern India but his &quot;monumental contribution&quot; had not got proper recognition.<br />
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Patel was a selfless leader who shaped India&#39;s destiny with single-minded devotion, the vice president said at an event to commemorate the 142nd birth anniversary of India&#39;s first home minister at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library here.<br />
<br />
&quot;It is unfortunate that there has been no proper recognition of the monumental contribution made by Sardar Patel and his legacy in unifying the country at its most critical juncture in the history,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
(Also Read --<a href="http://http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sardar-vallabhbhai-patel-should-have-been-first-recipient-of-bharat-ratna-amit-shah-23215">&nbsp;Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel should have been first recipient of Bharat Ratna: Amit Shah at Himachal election rally</a>)<br />
<br />
Sardar Patel&#39;s birth anniversary is being celebrated across the country as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.<br />
<br />
&quot;Sardar Patel, the architect and unifier of modern India, was not only a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi but also his ardent follower. He fashioned the country&#39;s political integration with the swiftness of a military commander and deftness of a visionary leader,&quot; Naidu said.<br />
<br />
Patel displayed the vision of a statesman, the vice president said.<br />
<br />
His tact, diplomacy and pragmatic approach prevented the Balkanisation of the country and ensured the merger of more than 560 princely states with the Union of India at a critical and most turbulent period in the history of the country, Naidu said.<br />
<br />
&quot;What makes this stupendous integration most remarkable is that it was achieved without any bloodshed,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
One of Patel&#39;s great contributions, he added, was the creation of the Indian Administrative Service, which was once a &#39;mission&#39; but had now become a &#39;commission&#39; for some.<br />
<br />
&quot;His vision for a unified India also saw the creation of the All India Administrative Service which he described as a steel frame. It was one of the great contributions he made to the country,&quot; the vice president said.<br />
<br />
Patel&#39;s exhortations to probationers to maintain &quot;utmost impartiality and incorruptibility in administration&quot; were as relevant today as they were then, Naidu said.<br />
<br />
&quot;Earlier it was a mission, now some people have turned it into a commission giving remission and committing many omissions.&quot;<br />
<br />
Naidu, who also inaugurated a two-day national conference and an exhibition on &#39;Making of a Gandhian Nationalist: Life and Times of Sardar Patel&#39;, in the presence of Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma, said agriculture had been completely ignored post independence, contrary to Patel?s belief that it was the &quot;basic culture of India&quot;.<br />
<br />
Agriculture and industry were like our eyes, both needing equal care, but the former had been treated unjustly, the vice president said.<br />
Food security is an important aspect in India, with a population of 130 crore, and agriculture cannot be ignored, he said.<br />
<br />
&quot;People are leaving agriculture... A doctor wants his son to be a doctor, a teacher wants his son to be a teacher, a businessman wants his son to be a businessman, an actor wants his son to be an actor, even when the face is not good enough, and then thrusting them upon us, but a farmer does not want his son to be a farmer. This is because agriculture is not remunerative,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
In a bid to rectify the situation, the Modi government was focusing on agriculture. &quot;... By 2022, the aim of the government is to double the income of agriculturists.&quot;<br />
<br />
Patel, who was born on October 31, 1875, passed away on December 15, 1950.<br />
<br />
Naidu said the leader led a down to earth life and knew each and every problem of the country. He had clarity and was committed to unity, Naidu said.<br />
<br />
&quot;He needs to be remembered by every Indian as the country marches ahead as one of the largest economies in the world...&quot;</p>

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Sardar Patel's birth anniversary is being celebrated across the country as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was both the architect and unifier of modern India but his "monumental contribution" had not got proper recognition. Patel was a selfless leader who shaped India's destiny with single-minded devotion, the vice president said at an event to commemorate the 142nd birth anniversary of India's first home minister at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library here. "It is unfortunate that there has been no proper recognition of the monumental contribution made by Sardar Patel and his legacy in unifying the country at its most critical juncture in the history," he said. (Also Read -- Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel should have been first recipient of Bharat Ratna: Amit Shah at Himachal election rally) Sardar Patel's birth anniversary is being celebrated across the country as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. "Sardar Patel, the architect and unifier of modern India, was not only a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi but also his ardent follower. He fashioned the country's political integration with the swiftness of a military commander and deftness of a visionary leader," Naidu said. Patel displayed the vision of a statesman, the vice president said. His tact, diplomacy and pragmatic approach prevented the Balkanisation of the country and ensured the merger of more than 560 princely states with the Union of India at a critical and most turbulent period in the history of the country, Naidu said. "What makes this stupendous integration most remarkable is that it was achieved without any bloodshed," he said. One of Patel's great contributions, he added, was the creation of the Indian Administrative Service, which was once a 'mission' but had now become a 'commission' for some. "His vision for a unified India also saw the creation of the All India Administrative Service which he described as a steel frame. It was one of the great contributions he made to the country," the vice president said. Patel's exhortations to probationers to maintain "utmost impartiality and incorruptibility in administration" were as relevant today as they were then, Naidu said. "Earlier it was a mission, now some people have turned it into a commission giving remission and committing many omissions." Naidu, who also inaugurated a two-day national conference and an exhibition on 'Making of a Gandhian Nationalist: Life and Times of Sardar Patel', in the presence of Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma, said agriculture had been completely ignored post independence, contrary to Patel?s belief that it was the "basic culture of India". Agriculture and industry were like our eyes, both needing equal care, but the former had been treated unjustly, the vice president said. Food security is an important aspect in India, with a population of 130 crore, and agriculture cannot be ignored, he said. "People are leaving agriculture... A doctor wants his son to be a doctor, a teacher wants his son to be a teacher, a businessman wants his son to be a businessman, an actor wants his son to be an actor, even when the face is not good enough, and then thrusting them upon us, but a farmer does not want his son to be a farmer. This is because agriculture is not remunerative," he said. In a bid to rectify the situation, the Modi government was focusing on agriculture. "... By 2022, the aim of the government is to double the income of agriculturists." Patel, who was born on October 31, 1875, passed away on December 15, 1950. Naidu said the leader led a down to earth life and knew each and every problem of the country. He had clarity and was committed to unity, Naidu said. "He needs to be remembered by every Indian as the country marches ahead as one of the largest economies in the world..."

No proper recognition of Sardar Patel's contribution in unifying the country: Venkaiah Naidu

<p>Ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh, BJP chief Amit Shah, who is on a five-day tour of the hill state, addressed a rally in Kangra district.</p>

<p>On Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel&#39;s 147th birth anniversary today, the BJP president said the freedom fighter should have been the first recipient of Bharat Ratna, the country&#39;s highest civilian award.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;There was a question to give Bharat Ratna to Sardar Patel. I think that if there was anyone who should have been awarded Bharat Ratna first, it would be Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel,&quot; Amit Shah said.</p>

<p>(Also Read -&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/himachal-pradesh-polls-bjp-announces-prem-kumar-dhumal-as-partys-chief-ministerial-candidate-23225">Himachal Pradesh polls: BJP announces Prem Kumar Dhumal as party&#39;s chief ministerial candidate</a>)</p>

<p>The first recipients of the Bharat Ratna were politician C Rajagopalachari, former president S Radhakrishnan, and scientist CV Raman, who received the award in 1954.</p>

<p>Sardar Vallabhai Patel died in 1950 before the award was instituted. The Bharat Ratna was bestowed upon him posthumously in 1991.</p>

<p>The BJP President also highlighted the contribution made by Sardar Patel at the time of independence and said he &quot;unified all principalities and worked to make one united India.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;After independence, Britishers wanted to divide the country in more than 300 principalities. We got independence, whole world believed; even people had questions what would happen to the country now. Will this country be divided? But Sardar with his patience unified all principalities and worked to make one united India. It is because of this, our country is developing today.&quot;</p>

<p>The birth anniversary of Sardar Patel is being celebrated across the country as &#39;Rashtriya Ekta Diwas&#39; (National Unity Day).</p>

<p>Amit Shah also criticised the Virbhadra Singh-led Himachal Pradesh government for the rape and murder of a teenage girl in Shimla&#39;s Kotkhai area in July.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;I want to ask the chief minister who is responsible for what happened to the little girl in Shimla,&quot; Amit Shah said.</p>

<p>The Himachal Pradesh assembly elections will take place on November 9.</p>

<p>He also took potshots at Congress president Rahul Gandhi and said that while the Congress president asked prime minister Narendra Modi what he had done in three years, he wanted to ask Rahul Gandhi what he had done all these years.</p>

<p>&quot;Rahul baba asks Modi ji &#39;what have you done in three years&#39;. But I ask what have you done in so many years,&quot; the BJP President said.<br />
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Amit Shah is on a five day tour of Himachal Pradesh

Ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh, BJP chief Amit Shah, who is on a five-day tour of the hill state, addressed a rally in Kangra district. On Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 147th birth anniversary today, the BJP president said the freedom fighter should have been the first recipient of Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award. "There was a question to give Bharat Ratna to Sardar Patel. I think that if there was anyone who should have been awarded Bharat Ratna first, it would be Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel," Amit Shah said. (Also Read - Himachal Pradesh polls: BJP announces Prem Kumar Dhumal as party's chief ministerial candidate) The first recipients of the Bharat Ratna were politician C Rajagopalachari, former president S Radhakrishnan, and scientist CV Raman, who received the award in 1954. Sardar Vallabhai Patel died in 1950 before the award was instituted. The Bharat Ratna was bestowed upon him posthumously in 1991. The BJP President also highlighted the contribution made by Sardar Patel at the time of independence and said he "unified all principalities and worked to make one united India." "After independence, Britishers wanted to divide the country in more than 300 principalities. We got independence, whole world believed; even people had questions what would happen to the country now. Will this country be divided? But Sardar with his patience unified all principalities and worked to make one united India. It is because of this, our country is developing today." The birth anniversary of Sardar Patel is being celebrated across the country as 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas' (National Unity Day). Amit Shah also criticised the Virbhadra Singh-led Himachal Pradesh government for the rape and murder of a teenage girl in Shimla's Kotkhai area in July. "I want to ask the chief minister who is responsible for what happened to the little girl in Shimla," Amit Shah said. The Himachal Pradesh assembly elections will take place on November 9. He also took potshots at Congress president Rahul Gandhi and said that while the Congress president asked prime minister Narendra Modi what he had done in three years, he wanted to ask Rahul Gandhi what he had done all these years. "Rahul baba asks Modi ji 'what have you done in three years'. But I ask what have you done in so many years," the BJP President said.