Prime Minister Modi on Saturday paid homage to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, travelling to Gujarat to the site of the Statue of Unity. Speaking from Kevadia, the Prime Minister touched upon recent events such as COVID-19 and terrorism, even taking a swipe at the Opposition Congress.
"Sardar Patel gave the present form to India by making the diversity of the country, power of free India by uniting the hundreds of princely states of the country. In 2014, we all started celebrating his birthday as a festival of the unity of India," he said. The Prime Minister continued saying that the entire country is paying reverence to the Iron Man of the country, Sardar Patel today.
Prime Minister Narendra witnessed the 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas' parade on the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Kevadia, Gujarat. The Prime Minister also administered the Rashtriya Ekta Pledge in Kevadia.
Modi said that watching the parade of officers had made him recall the Pulwama attack. The country, he said, could never forget that even as India mourned the death of its sons, "some people were not saddened at the sacrifice of the security personnel during the Pulwama attack". These people, he alleged, had been looking for selfish gains in the wake of the brutal attack.
Citing the recent comments made by Pakistani Minister Fawad Chaudhry about Pakistan's "success in Pulwama", PM Modi said that the truth of the incident had now been revealed. "India, world is facing challenges from those who support terrorism openly," he added.
Speaking about the ongoing threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the PM said that even as other countries of the world were struggling against the pandemic, "India has fought it bravely and is coming out of it".
The PM also touched upon development in different parts of the country, stating that the country was establishing "new dimensions of unity".
"Today, Kashmir has moved on a new path of development...Whether it is the restoration of peace in the Northeast, or the steps being taken for development there, today the country is establishing new dimensions of unity," Prime Minister Modi said.
(With inputs from agencies)
