New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary, remembering his visionary statesmanship and the extraordinary dedication with 'which he shaped the destiny of our nation'.
"On the Jayanti of Sardar Patel, we remember his indomitable spirit, visionary statesmanship and the extraordinary dedication with which he shaped the destiny of our nation," he said on X.
On the Jayanti of Sardar Patel, we remember his indomitable spirit, visionary statesmanship and the extraordinary dedication with which he shaped the destiny of our nation. His commitment to national integration continues to guide us. We are forever indebted to his service.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 31, 2023
"His commitment to national integration continues to guide us. We are forever indebted to his service," he added.
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and a host of dignitaries on Tuesday offered floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary.
President Droupadi Murmu paid floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at Patel Chowk, New Delhi on his birth anniversary observed as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. pic.twitter.com/FpdnFfGaYi
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) October 31, 2023
At a special function held at capital's Patel Chowk, the President, Dhankhar, Shah and others paid floral tributes at the statue of India's first home minister on his birth anniversary, which is observed as 'Rashtriya Ekta Divas'.
In a post on 'X', Shah said unity and prosperity of India was the sole aim of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's life.
Shah said with his rock-solid will power, political wisdom and hard work, Patel had worked to make India — then divided into more than 550 princely states — a united nation.
भारत की एकता और समृद्धता सरदार वल्लभभाई पटेल जी के जीवन का एकमात्र ध्येय था। उन्होंने अपनी चट्टान जैसी दृढ़ इच्छाशक्ति, राजनीतिक विद्वता व कठोर परिश्रम से 550 से अधिक रियासतों में बँटे भारत को एक संगठित राष्ट्र बनाने का काम किया। सरदार साहब का राष्ट्र को समर्पित जीवन व देश के… pic.twitter.com/LBL1T2hJWL
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) October 31, 2023
“Sardar Saheb's dedicated life to the nation and nation-building work as the country's first Home Minister will always inspire us. Tributes to Iron Man Sardar Patel on his birth anniversary and best wishes to all the countrymen on Rashtriya Ekta Divas,” he wrote on 'X' in Hindi.
Those who attended the event at Patel Chowk include Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena and Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi among many others.
Born in Gujarat in 1875, Patel was a lawyer and emerged as a leading Congress leader and associate of Mahatma Gandhi during the independence struggle.
As the first home minister of the independent India, he is credited with uniting hundreds of princely states into the Union with his mix of persuasion and firmness.