Patel made efforts to keep family out of politics: PM

Patel made efforts to keep family out of politics: PM

FPJ BureauUpdated: Friday, May 31, 2019, 09:15 PM IST
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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi paying tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on the occasion of his birth anniversary, at Patel Chowk in New Delhi on Saturday. PTI Photo by Manvender Vashist(PTI10_31_2015_000017B) |

Modi also paid tributes to former prime minister Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary

New Delhi : As the birth anniversary of independent India’s first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was commemorated with a ‘Run for Unity’ in Delhi on Saturday, both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress indulged in a political slugfest to claim Patel’s legacy.

Speaking at the ‘Run for Unity’ event at Rajpath here on Saturday morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined a new initiative ‘Ek Bharat, Shresth Bharat’ (one India, best India) while praising Sardar Patel on his 140th birth anniversary.

However, he also used the occasion to attack “dynastic politics” that he said had “polluted” Indian politics, reports IANS.

“The way nepotism has polluted our politics… the life of Sardar sahab is an example… No name from his family has figured on the political map of this country so far,” said Modi. “It reflects how he made efforts to keep his family away from politics,” he said.

Modi also paid tributes to former prime minister Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary. “Tributes to former prime minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, on her death anniversary,” the prime minister said in a statement.

Paying tributes to Sardar Patel, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi pointed out that the “Iron Man’ was against “fundamentalists”.

“My tribute to Sardar Patel on his birth anniversary. One of the founding fathers of our nation, a patriot and a great Congressman,” Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

“His contribution to unifying India and guarding against fundamentalist forces will always inspire us,” he said.

The main salvo, however, came from Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, who said it would have been better if Patel was made independent India’s first prime minister instead of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

“History has not done justice to the memory of Sardar Patel for whatever reason. It is our duty to see he is remembered,” Naidu said. Naidu said he was of the opinion, like millions of others, that “if Patel was the first prime minister, the face (of the country) could have been changed more”.

“But what happened happened,” Naidu added.

Top Congress leaders, including former prime minister Manmohan Singh, party president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi also paid tributes to Indira Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

They paid tributes to Indira Gandhi at the Shakti Sthal memorial site dedicated to her. “We pay tribute to Indira Gandhi today (Saturday). A leader with courage and compassion. She protected the poor and died for India,” Rahul Gandhi tweeted. The Congress has alleged that the mega celebration of Patel’s birth anniversary was to overshadow the observance of the death anniversary of Indira Gandhi, and was an attempt by the BJP to stake a claim on Sardar Patel, who was a leading Congressman.

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