New Delhi, Oct 31: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the abrogation of Article 370 had permanently integrated Kashmir into India, describing it as one of the major achievements under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
He said the country had also achieved significant milestones during Modi’s tenure, including the eradication of Naxalism and implementation of a unified tax system, while asserting that the next major national goal was to make India drug-free.
“On March 31 this year, the country got rid of Naxalism and is now progressing on the path to becoming a drug-free nation,” Shah said while addressing a gathering after flagging off the ‘Run for Unity’ in New Delhi on the occasion of the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
He described the creation of a drug-free India as a foundational step towards realising Modi’s vision of a developed India, saying its achievement would be the most significant contribution towards securing the future of the country’s youth.
Shah said the abrogation of Article 370 had permanently integrated Kashmir into India, adding that the country had witnessed several important developments during the present government’s tenure.
Recalling Patel’s contribution to national integration, the Home Minister said the country was widely expected to disintegrate after Independence, but Patel accomplished what many considered impossible by bringing numerous princely states and royal domains together.
“In just 1,218 days following Independence, Sardar Patel accomplished what many deemed impossible by forging a united India,” he said.
Shah said Patel had transformed the history and reshaped the geography of the country by undertaking the arduous task of integrating princely states, creating the map of the unified India that exists today.
He said Patel had not only ensured the geographical and political integration of the country but had also strengthened its cultural unity by bringing people together.
Shah said India’s linguistic, cultural, religious and traditional diversity was its strength and not a weakness. The country’s shared national identity, he said, had been built over the past 80 years through dialogue, trust and an inclusive outlook.
He said differences in languages, attire, cultural beliefs and religions had never weakened the country’s unity.
Referring to the reconstruction of the Somnath Temple, Shah described it as an experience of civilisational and national resurgence, saying Patel had envisioned its construction.
He said initiatives such as Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat under Modi’s leadership were guiding the country towards securing a leading position among the world’s economies.
The Home Minister also alleged that Patel had not received the recognition he deserved for his contribution to national integration for many years, accusing the Opposition of attempting to erase his legacy.
He said Modi, during his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister, had initiated the Statue of Unity project, presenting Patel’s stature and contribution before the entire nation.
Shah flagged off the Run for Unity in New Delhi and administered the Unity Pledge to participants as part of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations marking Patel’s 151st birth anniversary.
Several dignitaries attended the event, including Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Ministers of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai and Bandi Sanjay Kumar.
Shah said the observance of Patel’s birth anniversary as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas had been undertaken since Modi became Prime Minister, adding that the occasion served as a reminder of Patel’s contribution to building a united India.
