Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Gujarat on Friday, 31st October. He spoke at the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas event, paying tribute to Sardar Vallabhai Patel while criticising past Congress governments, mainly on issues related to Kashmir.
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas reminds us of Sardar Patel's unmatched dedication to national unity and integration. May the spirit of oneness continue to guide our nation. https://t.co/S7Ad8zCz0B
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 31, 2025
PM Modi spoke at the rally that Sardar Patel wanted Kashmir to be merged with India. That was his wish, but India’s first PM, Pandit Nehru, “did not let his wish be fulfilled”. He termed this a mistake by the Congress that gave Kashmir a separate constitution and symbol, and kept the country “burning for decades”.
PM Modi, during his address, praised Sardar Patel for his historic efforts in uniting the country, as he had integrated 550 princely states. He said Patel made the impossible task of uniting the country possible after independence because he was driven by the idea of “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat”.
He also attacked previous governments on other security-related issues. While claiming that infiltrators were allowed to enter the country, take its resources, and disrupt the demographic balance for decades, he said the attitude of past governments, which he claimed ignored national sovereignty, led to the rise of problems like Naxalism and Maoism.
PM Modi said that his government, since 2014, has constantly attacked such issues and cited “Operation Sindoor” as proof of India’s robust national image. He concluded by saying that every Indian has a national duty to keep away from anything that “weakens the unity of the country,” which he termed the “true tribute” to Sardar Patel.
