Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to India's first foreign minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary on Tuesday. Participating in the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or the National Unity Day in Gujarat's Ekta Nagar, the PM said that Sardar Patel's statue itself reflects the spirit of 'Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat'.
"The people coming to Ekta Nagar not only get to see this grand statue but also get a glimpse of Sardar Saheb's life, sacrifice and his contribution in building one India," he said.
"The story of the construction of this statue itself reflects the spirit of 'Ek Bharat - Shrestha Bharat'...Lakhs of people are participating in 'Run for Unity' across the country. Lakhs of people are taking part in it through cultural programs. When we see this flow of unity among 140 crore Indians, it seems as if the ideals of Sardar Saheb are running within us in the form of the resolve of 'Ek Bharat-Shrestha Bharat'..." he added.
Prime Minister Modi along with a host of other dignitaries including President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah among other paid their tribute to the ‘iron man of India’.
"On the Jayanti of Sardar Patel, we remember his indomitable spirit, visionary statesmanship and the extraordinary dedication with which he shaped the destiny of our nation,” Prime Minister Modi wrote in a post on X.
“His commitment to national integration continues to guide us. We are forever indebted to his service," he added.
At a special function held at Patel Chowk in the national capital, President Murmu, VP Dhankhar, Shah and others paid floral tributes at the statue of India's first home minister on his birth anniversary, also observed as 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas'.
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"On the occasion of Sardar Patel Jayanti, I extend my wishes for Unity Day...The entire country has celebrated this day as Unity Day since 2014," said Shah.
"We all know that after independence, the British left this country to disintegrate. At that time, our iron man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel did the work of making the map of India by uniting more than 550 princely states into a thread of unity in a few days," he added.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena and Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi were among other dignitaries who attended the event at Patel Chowk.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also paid floral tributes at the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Lucknow.