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Gujarat chief minister and BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi said on Thursday that "Sardar Patel was secular and we want the same secularism that Sardar saheb believed in".
The Gujarat CM pointed out that the "secular Patel who united India...had no hesitation rebuilding the Somnath Temple."
He was addressing a gathering at the foundation laying ceremony of 183-metre tall iron statue of India’s first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel -- 'the Statue of Unity', at Kevadia in Narmada district.
Modi also attacked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue of installing a gate on the Sardar Sarovar Dam which has been pending for a long time.
He alleged that Gujarat is being discriminated against by the Centre for political reasons.
Taking on the Prime Minister for his comments on October 29 that he is proud Patel belonged to his party, Modi said, "Rana Pratap, Chhatrapati Shivaji, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru are highly respected. Were they BJP members? Will only those who belong to the BJP be given respect and honour. Country is greater than the party and those who sacrifice themselves for the country are greater."
Modi said that it was wrong to associate Sardar Patel with any single party. "Leaders don't belong to any party, they belong to the country," Modi added.
LK Advani, a former deputy prime minister, was the chief guest at the function.
The statue, when finished, will be the world's tallest structure of its kind.
(With PTI inputs)
(With PTI inputs)
