After the public spat over the legacy of Sardar Patel between Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Modi will lay the foundation stone for the statue on Thursday.
The rising tide of Indian nationalism meant that the people of princely states now were keen to become a part of a united and integrated India rather than remain subjects of a princely state. The Congress too supported the people's wish and it fell upon Patel to get the princes to agree. He did so magnificently, using every trick available, whether it was sweet talk or coercion; the rulers buckled and Patel earned the eternal gratitude of the entire nation.
The Muslim League had orchestrated two deadly attacks on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in 1939 but the Congress establishment 'quietly' kept the story buried for 86 years because it was an 'uncomfortable truth', the Bharatiya Janata Party said on Friday, launching a blistering attack on the opposition party.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations at the Statue of Unity, commemorating Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth anniversary with a unity pledge and parade.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a sharp attack on country's first premier Jawaharlal Nehru, claiming he prevented Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel from fully integrating Kashmir into the Indian Union.
He blamed policies of the Congress-led governments for the Kashmir issue remaining unresolved.
The 182-metre 'Statue of Unity', being built at Sadhu Bet in Narmada district, is slated to be inaugurated by Modi on Patel's birth anniversary on October 31.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the iconic Statue of Unity in Gujarat on the birth anniversary of the country's first home minister.
If Patel had lived a few years more, he may or may not have become prime minister. But for sure, his presence would have kept Nehru in check, points out Harishchandra.
Sardar Patel's birth anniversary is being celebrated as 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas' (National Unity Day) since 2014.
Ram V Sutar, 89, has already created more than 200 distinct statues, many of them massive. Now, he is a leading contender for the commission to produce the world's largest statue: A 597-foot tall rendering of Sardar Patel, an independence leader who played a crucial role in uniting India's fractious states.
L Eswar Rao said it took him three days to complete the art.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh claimed Jawaharlal Nehru wanted to build the Babri Masjid using public funds, but Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel prevented it. He also lauded Patel's contributions and criticized Nehru's approach to national issues.
"The country has taken an important decision with the inspiration of Sardar Patel, to walk a new path to resolve a decades-old problem," Modi said.
I think the 'What-if-it-had-been-Patel?' sentiment represents a yearning for more of what we are already seeing around us in India today, observes Aakar Patel.
Modi said it was Patels' timely intervention which helped save J-K from "aggression".
A gold medallist from JJ School of Art and Architecture, Mumbai, Sutar, has to his credit a long list of achievements.
The state government had earlier said the 182-metre tall statue will be inaugurated on Sardar Patel's birth anniversary on October 31 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A series of events were held across the country to mark the day and government officials, security personnel and others took a pledge 'to preserve the unity, integrity and security of the nation and also strive hard to spread this message'.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday dedicated birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as National Unity Day, saying a nation that disregards its history cannot create one and made a veiled reference to anti-Sikh riots that followed then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination this day 30 years ago.
The prime minister said everyone in the country is proud of Patel's contribution to India before it attained freedom and during the early years after the nation became independent.
The Union home minister said that on November 15, a grand celebration will be held at the 'Statue of Unity' to mark the birth anniversary of tribal icon Birsa Munda.
Some people were so great, Modi said, that attempts were made to make their contributions forgotten for 70 years but these met with no success.
Commerce Minister Anand Sharma on Tuesday declined Narendra Modi's invitation for an event on Sardar Patel, suggesting that the Gujarat chief minister's motives were not sincere and the name of the great leader was being misused for partisan political agenda.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Hemang Joshi has invited Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to join a 'Unity March' passing through Vadodara, Gujarat, organized in honor of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
'It is time India withdraws the complaint from the UN and fully integrates the state of J&K into the Indian Union,' recommends Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
The Congress on Tuesday accused Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to appropriate Sardar Patel's legacy, which "belongs to Congress", and reminded that Patel had said that it was the "communal poison of RSS" which killed Mahatma Gandhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to citizens to adopt austerity measures, including avoiding destination weddings abroad and reducing edible oil consumption, to mitigate the impact of the West Asia crisis on India's economy.
'Maybe, if Mr Modi can fire over Patel's gigantic shoulder, people will start to think that he is very much like Patel?' 'It's a long shot, but the Modi sheen has worn awfully thin, and after five years and a long, much-frayed rope, he faces real accountability from voters.' 'He needs any help he can get,' says Mitali Saran.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday dedicated to the nation the 182-metre statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the tallest in the world, and said it will be a reminder about the courage of a man who thwarted efforts to disintegrate India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the 'Shaurya Yatra' in Somnath, Gujarat, honouring those who defended the Somnath temple. He also offered prayers and paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
'The Statue of Unity is wasteful expenditure, but engineering-wise they have chosen the right place and correct spot. It is a simple statue and well executed.' 'Here, the government has chosen a wrong spot. They have chosen a wrong design.' 'The Shivaji Maharaj statue is holding a sword and the length of that sword is 48 metres, which is equivalent to a 16-storey building!'
As the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party battle it out over the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Information and Broadcasting minister Manish Tewari hit out at Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, saying the United Progressive Alliance's record in issuing advertisements to commemorate Patel was far better than that of its rival National Democratic Alliance.
The giant statue of Sardar Vallabhai Patel is most impressive and a trip to the viewing gallery on top is the high point of a trip to Kevadia, Gujarat.
ONGC, Hindustan Petroleum, Bharat Petroleum, Indian Oil and Oil India listed the spending as part of their mandatory CSR commitment, but CAG noted that the Sardar Patel statue did not qualify for CSR funding.
The total height of the statue from its base is planned to be 240 metre consisting base level of 58 metre and statue of 182 metre.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said some forces in and outside India are trying to destabilise the country and spread anarchy to create a negative image of the nation in the world.
'These were great people who lived and died attempting to create a world of love, compassion and understanding, and not one of hate, prejudice and competition,' says Arun Gandhi, the Mahatma's grandson.
highlights of what Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi and senior leader L K Advani said at the Statue of Unity launch event
Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that forces opposing the reconstruction of the Somnath temple after independence are still active and that India needs to be vigilant and united to counter them. He highlighted the temple's history of resilience against repeated attacks and emphasized the importance of remembering the sacrifices made to protect it.
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