Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have rejected separatism and terrorism, making the Constitution and democracy of India victorious.

Addressing the National Unity Day parade in Gujarat’s Kevadia, Prime Minister Modi said, “The people of Jammu and Kashmir have rejected the age-old agenda of separatism and terrorism. They have made the Constitution of India, the democracy of India victorious. They have put an end to the propaganda going on for 70 years with their votes. Today, on National Unity Day, I salute the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”

He added that terrorist masters now understand that harming India will not yield results, as India will not spare them.

“In the last ten years, India has resolved many such issues, which were a threat to national unity. Terrorists masters now know that harming India won’t yield results, as India won’t spare them,” he added.

He criticised the opposition, claiming that for 70 years, Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s Constitution was not fully implemented and accused those who chant the name of the Constitution of insulting it.

He attributed this failure to the “wall of Article 370” in Jammu and Kashmir, declaring that “Article 370 has been buried forever.”

“Today the whole country is happy that after seven decades of independence, the resolution of one country and one constitution has been fulfilled. This is my biggest tribute to Sardar Saheb. For 70 years, Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s Constitution was not implemented in the entire country. Those who chant the name of the Constitution have insulted it so much,” PM Modi said.

“The reason was the wall of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. Article 370 has been buried forever. For the first time, voting was done without discrimination in this assembly election. For the first time, the Chief Minister of that place has taken oath on the Constitution of India. This scene must have given immense satisfaction to the makers of the Indian Constitution, their souls must have found peace and this is our humble tribute to the makers of the Constitution,” he added.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary is celebrated as National Unity Day or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas on October 31. Since 2014, this day has been marked by ‘Run for Unity’ events nationwide, which is participated by people from all walks of life.

Born on October 31, 1875, in Nadiad, Gujarat, Sardar Patel is credited with uniting all 562 princely states of pre-independent India, helping to establish the Republic of India. He served as the country’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister from 1947 to 1950. He passed away on December 15, 1950.