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Statue of Unity: PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi trade barbs over Sardar Patel’s statue, legacy

“Ironic that a statue of Sardar Patel is being inaugurated, but every institution he helped build is being smashed. The systematic destruction of India’s institutions is nothing short of treason,” Rahul Gandhi had tweeted in his response to the unveiling of the Statue of Unity.

Statue of Unity: PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi trade barbs over Sardar Patel’s statue, legacy

(File Photo)

On Wednesday, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the Statue of Unity on the occasion of the 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, he did not leave a chance to launch an all-out attack on the Congress in general and Congress President Rahul Gandhi in particular.

PM Modi, in a veiled attack on Rahul Gandhi, said had Sardar Patel not worked for the unity of the country, “Shiv bhakts” wouldn’t have been able to pray at the Somnath Temple.

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“Imagine for a moment that if Sardar Patel had not worked towards uniting the nation, Indians would have to get a visa to see the Gir lions and tigers…and shiv bhakts would need a visa to do puja at the Somnath temple…people would also need a visa to see the Charminar in Hyderabad,” said the PM.

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“Ironic that a statue of Sardar Patel is being inaugurated, but every institution he helped build is being smashed. The systematic destruction of India’s institutions is nothing short of treason,” Rahul Gandhi had tweeted in his response to the unveiling of the Statue of Unity.

“Sardar Patel was a patriot, who fought for an independent, united & secular India. A man with a steely will, tempered by compassion, he was a Congressman to the core, who had no tolerance for bigotry or communalism. On his birth anniversary, I salute this great son of India,” added Rahul.

According to ANI, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said, “In all states, all leaders who fought and sacrificed for the country…why did you not remember them? Why did your party, your RSS organisation not remember them for nearly 70 years? This is all stunt.”

“We respected Sardar Patel ji first, so I don’t want to comment much on this but I can tell Modi ji is doing politics, creating confusion & diverting from issues as he’s facing several problems. Let’s see how people react in 2019, I hope they take a sensible decision,” added Kharge.

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