Didn't build Sardar Patel statue to reduce Nehru's stature, says Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed on Thursday that his government built the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to give him his due, and not to reduce the stature of country's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Modi made the comment while addressing a public meeting in Amreli on Thursday morning.

"The country owes Sardar Patel. The Britishers wanted to leave the country divided, but Gujarat's own son Sardar ensured the country's unity. Shouldn't the coming generations be inspired by Sardar Patel? This is why I built the statue," the BJP's star campaigner said in the Patidar-dominated district in Saurashtra.

"Building the world's tallest statue of Sardar Patel was a matter of faith for me. I did not build it to reduce Pandit Nehru's size. Sardar Patel's stature is beyond such things," he said further.

Modi said he was happy that 10-12 thousand people were visiting the Statue of Unity every day, but added that no Congress leader had visited the statue.

Built at a cost of Rs 2,989 crore near Sardar Sarovar Dam, the 182-metre tall Statue of Unity was dedicated by Modi on October 31, the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.

Without naming him, the PM said that leader of Opposition and Congress's Amreli Lok Sabha candidate Paresh Dhanani had insulted Sardar by saying that the Statue of Unity was made of scrap, and appealed people not to vote for him.

Modi said that the Congress, which was reduced to its lowest ever tally of 44 in 2014 elections, was contesting in the lowest ever number of seats in the ongoing polls, but was still dreaming of coming to power.

In his nearly 55-minute speech, the PM spoke about water shortage in Amreli and Saurashtra, and accused Congress governments of delaying completion of Sardar Sarovar project.

"If Sardar Sarovar project was completed 40 years ago, Gujarat's situation would have been very different. The money spent on water every year could have been used for building better schools, hospitals, and roads. The Congress did the sin of creating hurdles in the way of Sardar Sarovar project. People who kept Gujarat thirsty cannot be forgiven," he said, while reminding the audience that he had approved increase in the dam's height 17 days after taking charge as PM.

The PM also said that the 5 acre land-holding cap to be eligible for relief of Rs 6,000 a year would be removed when his government returned to power so that all farmers become eligible for the benefit.

He also said that the country had not witnessed any terror attacks in the last five years because of his strong-willed government. He claimed that terror activities in Kashmir had been restricted to just two-and-a-half districts. He also said that unlike earlier years, when the governments did not respond to major terror attacks, his government had responded through surgical strikes and air strikes to Uri and Pulwama terror attacks respectively.
"We have given a free hand to the armed forces," he said.

He appealed voters to ensure that the BJP won all 26 seats in Gujarat.

Kashmir Issue 

• Targeting the Congress, PM Modi sought to know what did the grand old party do after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack when it was in power.
• “Weren’t you all angry at that time? But, do you think the Congress has improved now? Can we trust the Congress? And what Modi did after the Uri attack? You must be aware how we taught a lesson to Pakistan through the surgical strike.” 
• “Am I responsible for the present situation in Kashmir? Just because of the policies of Congress, we could not solve the Kashmir issue even after 70 years”