Real tribute to Sardar Patel lies in inspiring youth for nation-building: Nadda

BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda on Saturday said that inspiring the youth and instilling in them a sense of gratitude towards Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is the greatest tribute to the iconic leader.

Nadda said Patel built an independent and integrated nation by strengthening the administrative framework and laying the foundation of India’s civil services structure.

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Speaking at the departure ceremony of the Ganga Pravah Yatra, part of the second phase of the Sardar @ 150 Unity March, Nadda said it was Patel who, within two years of India’s independence, integrated 562 princely states into a single unified entity, playing a decisive role in establishing a strong and united India.

He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, since his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat, has worked with determination and strong willpower to ensure that Sardar Patel’s contributions receive due recognition, restoring his rightful place in the nation’s historical consciousness.

Nadda alleged that previous Congress governments did not give Patel the importance he deserved and delayed conferring the Bharat Ratna on him.

He said the country emerged as a cohesive nation because of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and asserted that if Patel had been allowed to continue his work unhindered, the issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir might not have arisen.

Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, speaking on the occasion, said that regardless of how much the Congress attempted to downplay Patel’s legacy, he continues to live in the hearts of Indians, who believe he united the 565 princely states that existed at the time of independence.

The ceremony to commemorate the Sardar @ 150 Unity March was also attended by BJP National General Secretary Sunil Bansal, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva, and Sardar @ 150 central team member and MLA Satish Upadhyay.