Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid glowing tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, saying he dedicates the decision to abrogate Article 370 "at the feet" of the country's first home minister.
Centuries ago India was united by Chanakya, and after that Sardar Patel achieved the same feat by merging princely states with the Union of India, the PM said at a function at the Statue of Unity here.
Unity in diversity is our pride and identity, Modi said on the occasion of Patel's 144th birth anniversary which is celebrated as National Unity Day.
Those who "cannot win wars against us" are trying to destroy our unity, he said, in apparent jibe at Pakistan.
The country decided to abrogate Article 370, which had only given "separatism and terrorism" to Jammu and Kashmir, he said.
North-East is now moving from separatism to attachment as decades-old problems are nearing resolution, Modi said.