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New Delhi, October 30 (IANS) Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Thursday said that true unity arises from the collective consciousness of a nation and is to fulfill Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resolve to develop India by following the ideals and values of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Addressing a seminar organized in the Delhi Assembly on the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel, Khan said, “Unity is not created by bricks and stones, unity is created by emotion and emotion is created by thought.”
He said that to fulfill Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resolve to make India a developed and leading nation, “we must constantly remember and awaken the ideals and values for which Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel dedicated his entire life”.
Khan said that just as Adi Shankaracharya established the spiritual unity of India through Vedanta, Sardar Patel achieved political unity through courage and conviction.
He emphasized that Sardar Patel’s unification of over 565 princely states was a historic feat of statesmanship – “a feat equal to or perhaps even greater than that of Bismarck in Germany”.
Khan also paid floral tributes at the statue of Shri Vithalbhai Patel in the presence of Delhi Speaker Vijender Gupta, Deputy Speaker Mohan Singh Bisht, Delhi Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra, and Niranjanaben Kalarthi, Administrator, Swaraj Ashram, Bardoli (Gujarat).
A special exhibition titled “Sardar Patel and the Journey of Unification of India” was also inaugurated in the Assembly complex, showcasing rare archival photographs and historical exhibits celebrating the life, vision and legacy of the Iron Man of India. Gandhi Smriti Vice President Vijay Goel, senior leader Sudhanshu Mittal and other MLAs were also present in the program.
Khan lauded the Indian government’s decision to celebrate Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary as National Unity Day, calling it “a fitting tribute to the architect of India’s unity, expressing the gratitude and respect of the entire nation for the man who made India one.”
Delhi President Gupta said: “The strength of a nation lies not in its strength, but in the unity of its hearts and purpose”.
He said that the life of Sardar Patel reminds us that unity is not a slogan but a sacred duty. He said that Patel’s ideals of discipline, integrity and selfless service will continue to inspire India’s progress and purpose.
As the nation celebrates National Unity Day, Gupta urged everyone to rededicate themselves to preserving the unity created by Sardar Patel and the values he espoused.
Addressing the seminar, Niranjanaben Kalarthi, administrator of Swaraj Ashram, Bardoli (Gujarat), said, “It is a matter of pride for the whole world that Sardar Patel did not let even a drop of blood be shed while uniting 562 out of 565 princely states.”
Kalarthi paid tribute to Sardar Patel as the architect of India’s administrative structure and a leader of rare compassion. R
Recalling his childhood association with the Swaraj Ashram in Bardoli, established after the successful Bardoli Satyagraha of 1928, he recalled meeting Sardar Patel as a child.
“He was a pillar of India’s unity,” he said, “yet he was such a soft-hearted man who spoke very softly to children.” Describing him as “not only the Iron Man of India, but also a man of kindness and humility”, she urged everyone to maintain his ideals so that “the unity and integrity of India is always preserved.”
–IANS
RCH/PGH