Addressing a gathering at the world’s tallest ‘Statue of Unity’ at Kevadia on the occasion of Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary, he also targeted the opposition

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said ‘Iron Man of India’ Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel will continue to inspire generations to come, and the ‘Statue of Unity’, dedicated to Patel, is a message to the world that India’s future is bright and nobody can break the country’s unity and integrity. Addressing a gathering at the world’s tallest ‘Statue of Unity’ at Kevadia in Gujarat’s Narmada district on the occasion of Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary, Shah also targeted the opposition, saying efforts were made to forget the ‘Iron Man of India’.

Recalling Sardar Patel’s contribution to unite India after independence, Shah said it was because of the former’s effort that Lakshadweep could become an integral part of India.

“It is unfortunate that efforts were made to forget Sardar Saheb. After independence, his contributions were never given proper respect and place. He was neither conferred the Bharat Ratna (the country’s highest civilian honour), nor proper respect. But it is said, how long can clouds keep the sun hidden,” the senior BJP leader said. As the situation changed in the country, Sardar Patel received the Bharat Ratna, and the world’s tallest statue, dedicated to Sardar Saheb, was also constructed to pay homage to him, he said.

“The ‘Statue of Unity’ is a message to the entire world that nobody can break India’s unity and integrity and nobody can tamper with India’s universality,” he said. “It was Sardar Saheb’s inspiration that has kept the country united, and it is his inspiration that will keep us united and take the country forward,” Shah said.

Recalling Patel’s contribution to unite India by bringing together some of the princely states, Shah said nobody has paid attention to his contribution to make Lakshadweep a part of India.

“When India became independent on August 15, Sardar Sahib sent the Indian Naval Ship Tir to Lakshadweep. A few hours after the Indian Navy unfurled the tricolour, Pakistani ships reached there. By then, the tricolour was unfurled. It is because of this that Lakshadweep is a part of India, and a large part of India’s coastline is secured from there,” Shah said. The statue is a true homage to Sardar Patel by PM Narendra Modi, who had visualised the world’s tallest structure he said. A leader like Sardar Patel is born once in centuries and inspires people for centuries, he added.

‘India Can Turn Into US$5 Trillion Economy'

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said the cooperative sector has a potential to turn India into a USD 5 trillion economy and will also prove crucial in making the agriculture sector self-reliant. He also stressed the need to implement the cooperative model, which is behind the success of milk giant Amul, to uplift agriculture and its allied sectors. “The cooperative model will prove crucial in making agriculture ‘Atmanirbhar’ (Self-Reliant),” he said. Shah was speaking at an event here organised to mark the completion of 75 years of Amul, which was started in 1946 as a cooperative movement in Anand.