Lieutenant Governor, Shri Manoj Sinha today joined the “Sardar@150 Unity March (Padyatra)” at Vadodara, Gujarat. The National Padyatra, which began at Sardar Patel’s family home in Karamsad, will cover nearly 190 km in 11 days, and will conclude at the Statue of Unity on 6th December. Addressing the event on the theme “Kashmir, Hyderabad and Sardar”, the Lieutenant Governor said Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel would have ensured complete and irreversible integration of Jammu Kashmir if he had handled its affairs.
"History of J&K would have been different if Sardar Patel had been given full responsibility for its integration in 1947," the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor said despite not directly handling Jammu Kashmir, Sardar Patel ensured that it remained an integral part of India. From the very beginning, Sardar Patel had said that we will not give even an inch of Jammu Kashmir to Pakistan.
"Sardar Patel had opposed the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's policy towards Jammu Kashmir. He was also against taking the issue to the United Nations. In one of his public rallies Sardar Patel had categorically said about complete integration of Jammu Kashmir and his decisive action would have altered the course of history," the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor, in his address, observed that Sardar Patel's vision of unity, ideals and values of equality and social justice continue to shape the growth of our nation.
"As an architect of modern India, Sardar Patel symbolises India's self-confidence, self-respect and its bravery. His embodying values of integrity, decisiveness, selfless service continue to inspire us to build a strong, self-reliant and developed India," the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor said Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is fulfilling the dreams and vision of Sardar Patel.
“With abrogation of Article 370, he has weaved entire India in the thread of unity and realized the resolution of one flag, one constitution and one leader in one country,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor highlighted that Hon'ble Prime Minister's initiatives- ‘One Nation, One Tax’, ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’, ‘One Nation, One Health Card’, ‘One Nation, One Grid’, ‘National Education Policy’, ‘PM Gati Shakti’, ‘Kashi-Tamil Sangamam’ and various other programmes have strengthened the unity of the country.
The Lieutenant Governor called upon youth to strengthen the pillars of Unity.
“There are three important pillars of unity – shared values, shared identity and a common purpose act as a unifying force for sustained progress and development,” the Lieutenant Governor said.