Ekta Nagar (Gujarat), Oct 31: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said Sardar Patel wanted to unite the entire Kashmir, just as he did with other princely states, into India, but then PM Jawaharlal Nehru did not allow it to happen.
Addressing a gathering after the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade here on the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel, Modi said infiltration was disrupting the demographic balance of India, which has decided to have a decisive fight against it.
“Sardar Patel believed that one should not waste time writing history but we should work hard to create history,” Modi said, adding that Sardar Patel accomplished the seemingly impossible task of uniting over 550 princely states after independence, he said.
The policies that Sardar Patel formulated, the decisions he took, created new history, the PM said. “The idea of One India, Excellent India, was paramount for him,” Modi said.
Attacking the Congress, Modi said Kashmir and the country paid a heavy price for the party’s mistakes in handling the issue.
“Sardar Patel wanted the entire Kashmir region to be integrated into India, just as he had integrated the other princely states. But Nehruji did not allow his wish to be fulfilled. Kashmir was divided, given a separate Constitution and a separate flag – and the nation suffered for decades because of Congress’ mistake,” he said.
For Sardar Patel, the country’s sovereignty was above all else, but in the years after his death, successive governments did not show the same seriousness regarding the nation’s sovereignty, said Modi.
“The mistakes made in Kashmir, the problems that arose in the Northeast, and the Naxalite-Maoist terrorism that spread throughout the country were all serious challenges to the nation’s sovereignty,” he said.
Instead of following Sardar Patel’s policies, the governments of that era chose a spineless approach, said the PM.
“Due to Congress’ weak policies, a part of Kashmir went under illegal occupation of Pakistan, which then fueled state-sponsored terrorism. Kashmir and the country paid a heavy price, yet the Congress always bowed down to terrorism. It forgot Sardar Patel’s vision, but we have not,” he said.
The PM said Kashmir has been fully integrated into the mainstream by breaking the “shackles” of Article 370.
“Today, Pakistan and the terrorists also know what India’s true strength is. In Operation Sindoor, the world witnessed that if anyone casts an evil eye on India, we will enter their homes and eliminate them. This is Sardar Patel’s India,” said the PM.
Highlighting the government’s action against Naxal terror in the past 11 years, Modi said the campaign would continue until the menace is rooted out of the country.
“Before 2014, about 125 districts of the country were affected by Maoist terrorism. Today, it has come down to 11 districts. Even in those, Naxalism is prevalent in only three districts,” said Modi.
Illegal immigrants also pose a serious threat to India’s unity and internal security, he said.
“These illegal immigrants have been occupying our resources and disturbing the demographic balance, putting the country’s unity at stake. But past governments had turned a blind eye to this important issue only for vote-bank politics,” he alleged.
The country has decided to have a decisive battle against infiltrators, said the PM.
“If the security and identity of the country are threatened, every citizen will be at risk. Today, on National Unity Day, we must reaffirm our resolve. We will ensure that every illegal immigrant living in India is expelled,” said the PM.
Slamming the Congress, Modi said that the party inherited “slave mentality” from the British who ruled India. The country is removing every trace of colonial mindset, he added.
“Political untouchability was made a culture in the country. We all know what happened to Sardar Patel and his legacy under the Congress governments. What did these people do to Babasaheb Ambedkar during his lifetime and even after his death? What did they do to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Dr Lohia and Jayaprakash Narayan,” Modi asked.
He added that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was also subjected to attacks and conspiracies.
Modi accused the Congress of removing part of Vande Mataram on religious grounds, calling it an act that divided society and advanced the British agenda.
“The day the Congress decided to break and divide ‘Vande Mataram’, it laid the foundation for India’s partition. Had that sin not been committed, India’s picture today would have been completely different,” said the PM.
Amid a language row in some states, the PM made it clear that every language is a national language and no attempt had ever been made to impose one on others.
Calling language an important pillar of India’s unity, he said the country’s hundreds of languages and dialects symbolise its open and creative thinking. “That is why India has become such a linguistically rich nation. Our languages, like different notes of music, have strengthened our identity,” said Modi.
He said efforts are being made to promote every Indian language. “We proudly say that India has Tamil, one of the oldest languages in the world. We have a treasure trove of knowledge like Sanskrit,” said Modi.
He said the government wants every child to progress in their mother tongue.
Before his speech, Modi reviewed the National Unity Day parade in which contingents from police and paramilitary forces took part. (PTI)
