PM dedicates Article 370's scrapping to Sardar Patel on his birth anniversary

Ahmedabad, Oct 31: On Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 144th birth anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to India's first Home Minister at the Statue of Unity in Gujarat's Kevadia. PM Modi praised Sardar Patel for unifying India and said: "I dedicate the decision to remove Article 370 to Sardar Saheb."

Addressing the event commemorating the 144th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel near the Statue of Unity, the Prime Minister said that unity in diversity is India's identity. Modi showered petals on the 182 metres-long statue of India's first deputy prime minister and the home minister.

"I would tell Sardar Saab, that the dream you had, that wall has been broken, and your dream was fulfilled. Sardar Patel had once said that if the issue of Kashmir had remained with him, it would not have taken so long to resolve it. On his birth anniversary today, I dedicate the decision to remove Article 370, to Sardar Saheb," PM Modi said.

I am sure that where ever Sadar Saheb's soul is, he would be very happy to see India, he said.

"Article 370 had divided Jammu and Kashmir and was the gateway to terrorism. In the whole country, J&K was the only place where this was effective. And in the whole country, Jammu and Kashmir was the only place where terrorists had taken the lives of over 40,000 people," he added.

Prime Minister also attended the colourful Ekta Diwas Parade at the same venue, organized to honour Patel, and administered the oath of unity to hundreds of school children, central armed police force personnel, artists and spectators.

"I am happy that from today onwards, all government employees of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will also start getting the benefits of the allowances approved by the Seventh Pay Commission," PM Modi.