New Delhi, Oct 30 (IANS) Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan said on Thursday that true unity is born out of the collective consciousness of a nation and fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resolve to make India developed needs following ideals and values of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Addressing a symposium organised at the Delhi Legislative Assembly on the occasion of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Sardar Patel, Khan said: “Unity is not created by bricks and stones, unity arises from emotion and emotion arises from thought.”

He added that to fulfill the resolve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make India a developed and leading nation, “we must constantly recall and reawaken the ideals and values for which Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel dedicated his entire life”.

Khan said that just as Adi Shankaracharya established the spiritual unity of India through Vedanta, Sardar Patel achieved political unity through courage and conviction.

He emphasised that Sardar Patel’s unification of more than 565 princely states was a historic act of statesmanship — “a task comparable to that of Bismarck in Germany, or perhaps even greater”.

Khan also paid floral tributes at the statue of Shri Vithalbhai Patel in the presence of Delhi Speaker Vijender Gupta, Deputy Speaker Mohan Singh Bisht, Delhi Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra, and Niranjanaben Kalarthi, Administrator, Swaraj Ashram, Bardoli (Gujarat).

A special exhibition titled “Sardar Patel and the Journey of India’s Unification” was also inaugurated in the Assembly premises, showcasing rare archival photographs and historical exhibits celebrating the life, vision, and legacy of the Iron Man of India. Vice Chairman of Gandhi Smriti Vijay Goel, Senior Leader Sudhanshu Mittal and other MLAs were also present at the event.

Khan lauded the Government of India’s decision to celebrate Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, calling it “a fitting tribute to the Architect of India’s Unity, expressing the gratitude and respect of an entire nation for the man who made India one”.

Delhi Speaker Gupta said: “The strength of a nation lies not in its might, but in its unity of hearts and purpose”.

He said that Sardar Patel’s life reminds us that unity is not a slogan, but a sacred duty. He stated that Patel’s ideals of discipline, integrity, and selfless service continue to inspire India’s progress and purpose.

As the nation observes Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, Gupta urged everyone to rededicate themselves to preserving the unity Sardar Patel built and the values he embodied.

Niranjanaben Kalarthi, Administrator of Swaraj Ashram, Bardoli (Gujarat), while addressing the Symposium, said, “It is a matter of pride for the whole world that Sardar Patel did not let even a single drop of blood be shed while uniting 562 out of 565 princely states,”

Kalarthi also paid homage to Sardar Patel as the architect of India’s administrative framework and a leader of rare compassion. R

Recalling her childhood association with the Swaraj Ashram in Bardoli, established after the successful 1928 Bardoli Satyagraha, she fondly remembered meeting Sardar Patel as a child.

“He was the pillar of India’s unity,” she said, “yet such a tender-hearted soul who spoke so gently with children.” Describing him as “not only the Iron Man of India, but also a man of compassion and humility,” she urged all to uphold his ideals so that “the unity and integrity of India remain forever.”

–IANS

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