GG News Bureau
Anand, 10th Oct. In a subtle jab at Pandit Nehru, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that Sardar Patel resolved issues of merger of other princely states, but one person could not resolve the Kashmir issue.
Addressing a rally in Anand ahead of the Gujarat Assembly elections, PM Modi also stated that he was able to resolve the long-pending Kashmir issue because he is following the footsteps of Sardar Patel.
Sardar saheb persuaded all the princely states to merge with India. But another person handled this one issue of Kashmir, PM Modi said, without naming India’s first prime minister Pandit Nehru.
As I am following the footsteps of Sardar saheb, I have values of the land of Sardar and that was the reason I resolved the problem of Kashmir and paid true tributes to Sardar Patel, PM Modi said.
Modi was speaking at a BJP-organized public meeting in Anand district’s Vallabh Vidyanagar.
Further criticizing the previous Congress governments in Gujarat, Modi stated that while dams were built, no canal network was built to carry water.
“Did they make dams for darshan (show)?” the PM asked, adding that he took up the work and completed it in 20 years.
“With water reaching everywhere, Gujarat has seen a growth of nine to ten per cent in agro products,” he said.
PM Modi also said that “Urban Naxals” tried to stall Sardar Patel’s dream project of the Sardar Sarovar dam. The matter was caught up in litigation.
“They wasted 40-50 years of our time, made us run from pillar to post in courts, wasting money of the poor people of Gujarat. Today, the Sardar Sarovar dam, the dream of Sardar Saheb, is completed,” he said.
Addressing the BJP workers, Modi said that if they get the chance to talk to these Congress members, they should ask them if they have ever visited the world’s tallest Statue of Unity, which was built in honor of Sardar Patel.
“It’s been several decades since Sardar Saheb passed away, now show some generosity and bow before Sardar Saheb’s feet. They would not do so…,” he said.
The Prime Minister stated that even when his party was in opposition, the BJP was determined to ensure Sardar Patel received his due. “Today, Gujaratis have worked hard to honor Sardar Saheb, and the BJP is proud of it,” he said.
He described the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar (Kevadia) as “the pride of the world.”
PM Modi said not just the Statue of Unity, his government also developed the historic Dandi March route in the honour of Mahatma Gandhi.
“Those doing politics in the name of Gandhiji for so many decades did not get the idea to improve the route of Dandi yatra, and we took up the task. We developed the entire route and created new opportunities for employment. By making a modern highway of more than 400 km, we took on a campaign to introduce Satyagrah to the new generation,” he said.
PM Modi claimed that the BJP government in Gujarat doubled electricity production in 20 years.
“Many villages received electricity after I went to Delhi (became PM). In Gujarat, we did the work of connecting every village and house with electricity,” he said.
The Gujarat BJP has emerged as a symbol of service, security, peace, the best environment for trade and business, and the absence of riots.
“This trust (reposed by people) is helping the BJP flag flying in every corner of India,” he said.
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