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 Nehru did not allow it to happen.
“Sardar Patel believed that one should not waste time writing history but we should work hard to create history,” Modi said, addressing the gathering after the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade near the Statue of Unity in Gujarat’s Ekta Nagar.
“Sardar Patel wanted to unite the entire Kashmir, just as he did with other princely states. But Nehru ji stopped his wish from being fulfilled. Kashmir was divided, given a separate Constitution and a separate flag – and the nation suffered for decades because of Congress’ mistake,” Modi said.
The policies that Sardar Patel formulated, the decisions he took, created new history, the PM said.
“After Independence, the impossible task of uniting more than 550 princely states was made possible by Sardar Patel. The idea of One India, Excellent India, was paramount for him,” Modi said.
“Sardar Patel once remarked that his greatest joy came from serving the nation. I want to convey to the people of our country that there is no greater source of happiness than dedicating oneself to the service of the nation,” he said.
“The country has decided to have a decisive fight against infiltrators. On Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, we should pledge to remove each and every infiltrator from the country,” Modi said.
“Today, the unity and internal security of our nation face serious threat from infiltrators. For decades, infiltrators have been entering our country and disrupting its demographic balance,” Modi said.
Highlighting the work against Naxal terror, Modi said his government will not stop till Naxalism and Maoism is rooted out of the country.
Slamming the Congress, Modi said that party inherited “slave mentality” from the British who ruled India. The country is removing every trace of colonial mindset, he added.
“Every thought or action that weakens the unity of our nation must be shunned by every citizen. This is the need of the hour for our country,” the prime minister said.
Before his speech, Modi reviewed the National Unity Day parade in which contingents from police and paramilitary forces took part.
Women officers commanded all the contingents, including paramilitary forces like BSF, CISF, ITBP, CRPF and SSB, and police contingents from Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Assam, Tripura, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
A contingent of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) also participated in the parade.
The parade featured 16 BSF personnel who were awarded gallantry medals for their participation in Operation Sindoor.
The parade showcased a marching contingent of Indian breed dogs from the BSF, including the celebrated Mudhol hound Riya which recently won the All-India Police Dog Competition.
Rampur hounds and Mudhol hounds demonstrated their skills at the event, which included a spectacular air show by the Surya Kiran team of the Indian Air Force.
The Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team was formed in 1996 and is among the very few nine-aircraft aerobatics teams in the world, and the only one of its kind in Asia.
The parade also featured a motorcycle daredevil show by Assam Police, and a camel mounted contingent and band by the BSF.
Ten tableaux from various states and union territories, including the NSG and NDRF, reinforce the theme of unity in diversity.