Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel united nation, PM Modi integrated J&K, says Amit Shah

NEW DELHI: Home minister Amit Shah on Friday said Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had, with his tireless efforts and iron will, stitched together 562 fragmented, princely Indian states into one united nation post-independence, and PM Narendra Modi completed his unfinished task by reading down Article 370 to fully integrate J&K with India.

Flagging off the 'Run for Unity' here on the occasion of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas , Shah recalled Sardar's leadership role in the Bardoli Satyagraha of 1928, organised to protest injustice done to farmers. It had then grown into a nationwide farmers' movement, compelling the British to accept their demands. The feat earned him the title 'Sardar', from Mahatma Gandhi.

Shah said Sardar Patel was busy monitoring a naval warship on Aug 15, 1947, while everyone else hoisted the national flag, thus ensuring that Lakshadweep became an integral part of India.

Attacking the opposition-led govts for not giving Sardar Patel the respect he deserved, Shah said it took 41 years for Sardar to be awarded the Bharat Ratna. "When Narendra Modi became CM of Gujarat, he resolved to build a grand memorial for Sardar Patel at Kevadia Colony. It was there that the Statue of Unity was conceived," he said.