PM invites Cong leaders to visit Statue of Unity

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday invited Opposition leaders to visit the multi-crore Statue of Unity so as to pay homage to Congress leader Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Modi was speaking at the Rajya Sabha on 'Motion of Thanks on the President's address'. He said that he is willing to invite members to visit the 182-metre statue at Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat, referring to the fact that the first home minister's name was being used in the House during debates.

"The biggest statue in the world is dedicated to Sardar Patel, I request the senior leaders of Congress to find time to visit the statue and pay homage to him. You own him because he was your man," Modi told the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

He even suggested that the Congress should conduct its Working Committee meet at the Statue of Unity, which was built with a price tag of Rs 2,989 crores.

"I am happy that Sardar saab was remembered here," said Modi. "We all believe, maybe Congress people may not accept it, I still believe that if Sardar Patel was India's first prime minister, Jammu and Kashmir issue would not have risen. I believe if Sardar was made prime minister, the condition of our villages would be better than now."

He made clear that these were his own observations. Modi said that no one would have any reservations about the fact that Sardar Patel had united more than 500 princely states with India.

Modi also reaffirmed that Patel was a pure Congress man. "Congress made him the first home minister. Sardar sab lived his whole life for the Congress party. He was pure Congress I. But I am sad that the Congress never portrays him outside Gujarat. What prevents you from using his name?" he said in his speech, in a veiled attack at the grand old party for neglecting Sardar Patel and emphasising Jawaharlal Nehru and his family.

The statue was dedicated to the nation on Oct. 31 last year and was aimed at boosting tourism for the state of Gujarat.