Srinagar, Nov 01: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfilled Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s vision of a unified India by abrogating Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, completing the mission that Patel had begun after Independence.
Speaking at the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations in Gujarat’s Ekta Nagar, Shah said Sardar Patel had shown unparalleled determination in integrating more than 560 princely states into the Indian Union after 1947, a task many at the time thought was impossible.
“At that time, the entire world thought that it would be impossible to unite these 562 princely states into one nation. However, within a short span of time, Sardar Patel accomplished the monumental task of integrating all 562 princely states, and the map of modern India that we see today is the result of his vision and efforts,” Shah said.
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The Home Minister said Patel’s diplomacy, courage, and administrative acumen transformed the fragmented political landscape into a unified country. “Some provinces were reluctant to integrate, but Sardar Patel addressed every issue with determination and foresight,” he said.
The HM said that Patel’s mission of complete integration remained unfinished because Jammu and Kashmir continued to have a separate Constitution and flag under Article 370. “Because of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir was not fully integrated into India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi accomplished the work of Sardar Patel by abrogating the Article, and now we have an ‘Akhand Bharat’ with us,” he said.
Shah said the decision to revoke Article 370 in August 2019 marked a historic milestone that realised Patel’s dream of one nation, one Constitution, and one flag. He said the integration of Jammu and Kashmir into the national mainstream has ensured equal rights and opportunities for all citizens in the region.
The Home Minister said the government’s policies in Jammu and Kashmir have brought stability and development that reflect the unity Patel envisioned. The people of the region are now equal participants in India’s democratic and constitutional framework, he said.
“Today, under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, the entire country stands united, from Kutch to Kamrup and from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. This unity is the true tribute to Sardar Patel,” Shah said.
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, or National Unity Day, is observed every year on October 31 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who played a central role in integrating princely states into the Indian Union after Independence. (KNO)
