Karamsad (Guj): L K Advani on Monday paid homage
to Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel at his ancestral house here and
said that the Iron Man of India is yet to get his due place in
the country's history.
"Had it not been for Sardar Patel, India could have been
divided into many parts. It was he who brought 555 princely
states together in India. He must get his rightful place in
India's history which he has not got," he said.
Addressing a gathering in Anand district after he, along
with wife Kamla and daughter Pratibha, had visited Sardar
Patel and Veer Vithal Bhai Patel memorial late this evening,
Advani said, "People don't even visit Karamsad. My sole
purpose in visiting Anand was to visit Sardar Patel's house."
Advani had earlier planned to start his anti-corruption
Yatra from Karamsad. However, the plan didn't materialise and
the Yatra's commencement was shifted to Bihar.
However, at the fag end of the second phase of his Yatra,
Advani finally visited the Sardar Patel Memorial accompanied
by his family and Modi.
All the VVIP visitors entered the Memorial barefoot and
spent time in the two rooms full of the pictures of Sardar
Patel and his family.
Before leaving the premises, Advani wrote in the
visitors' book in Hindi, "Shreshth sthaan hai ek pujya aatma
ka (this sacred place belongs to a great soul)".
Advani, joined by his wife for the first time during the
yatra, later told the cheering crowds in Anand, "I am elated
to be here and I came only to visit Sardar Patel's house."
Noting that Patel was yet to get his due place in
history, he said, "The British were smart. Besides dividing
the country into India and Pakistan they also allowed princely
states to make their own choice about being with either of the
two or being independent. Sardar Patel united those princely
states into India. He must be given his due in history which
he has been denied."
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, November 08, 2011, 00:43