Honouring Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the iconic 182-metre Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar in Gujarat’s Narmada district, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the Iron Man of India urged India to create history.
PM Modi arrived in the morning to offer flower petals and honour him, according to a report.
Reflecting on the great leader’s vision, he said, “Sardar Patel believed that one should not waste time writing history but we should work hard to create history,” he said.
Highlighting Patel’s role in shaping the nation, PM Modi said, “After Independence, the impossible task of uniting more than 550 princely states was made possible by Sardar Patel.”
“The idea of One India, Excellent India, was paramount for him.”
He added, “Sardar Patel once remarked that his greatest joy came from serving the nation. I want to convey to the people of our country that there is no greater source of happiness than dedicating oneself to the service of the nation.”
He broached the issue of Kashmir, saying that Sardar Patel had wanted to unite the entire Kashmir, just as he had done with other princely states.
However, the Prime Minister mentioned that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru wasn’t convinced. He added that Kashmir was divided, given a separate Constitution and a separate flag, and the nation had suffered for decades because of “Congress’s mistake.”
He also spoke glowingly of Patel’s enduring legacy: the policies he formulated and the decisions he took “created new history.”
Before his speech, PM Modi reviewed the National Unity Day parade. Police and paramilitary contingents marched in full strength.
Women officers led every single contingent. This included BSF, CISF, ITBP, CRPF, SSB, and police units from Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Assam, Tripura, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh. A National Cadet Corps (NCC) contingent also joined the march.
A highlight was the ‘Republic Day-style’ parade of the armed forces, with decorative tableaux. Ten floats showcased NSG, NDRF, and states including Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Andaman & Nicobar, Manipur, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, and Puducherry, all under the theme ‘Unity in Diversity.’
The cultural programme along the parade route featured 900 artists performing India’s classical dances, celebrating the nation’s rich heritage. In a striking display of women’s empowerment, PM Modi received a ceremonial salute from contingents led entirely by women officers.
Other key attractions included a BSF marching contingent composed exclusively of Indian breed dogs such as Rampur Hounds, Gujarat Police’s horse contingent, Assam Police’s motorcycle daredevil show, and BSF’s camel contingent with a camel-mounted band.
The parade also honored five Shaurya Chakra awardees of the CRPF and 16 gallantry medal winners of the BSF who displayed exceptional courage in anti-Naxal operations in Jharkhand and counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Air Force concluded the parade with a fly-past under ‘Operation Surya Kiran’.
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