Priyaben Savaliya, Ekta Nagar:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused the Opposition parties of abandoning their democratic responsibility of questioning the government and instead becoming an “avrodh paksh” (obstructionist Opposition), alleging that their actions are holding back the country’s development. Addressing the ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’ gathering at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat on the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, PM Modi said the Constitution had provided for both the ruling side and the Opposition, while also defining the importance of their respective roles in a democracy. He invoked Patel and B. R. Ambedkar, saying the two leaders had contributed to the constitutional framework that recognised the role of the Opposition. “In a democracy, the responsibility of the Opposition is to oppose the government’s policies. But it is our misfortune that, at present, the Opposition in the country has abandoned its duty and, instead of being the Opposition, has become an obstructionist Opposition,” PM Modi said. He alleged that frustration and disappointment had driven Opposition parties to create hurdles in the country’s development, adding that this was not democratic opposition but obstruction.

“This is not opposition; this is obstruction. They have made it their politics,” he said, further accusing these forces of disregarding constitutional propriety. The Prime Minister’s remarks came during an address in which he repeatedly stressed the importance of national unity amid global instability, conflicts and economic challenges. “Unity is essential for the country’s stability and progress, particularly at a time when several parts of the world are facing wars, resource shortages and disruptions in global supply chains,” he said. PM Modi also alleged that some forces within the country had attempted to create instability by spreading falsehoods and rumours while India was dealing with external challenges. “Citizens had stood together with the nation during that period,” he added.
The Prime Minister urged people to recognise attempts to divide society and to remain alert to the use of social media to spread misinformation and damage India’s image. He called for collective efforts to protect national unity and said the country would continue to pursue its development goals despite attempts to create obstacles. PM Modi concluded by reiterating the government’s stated objective of building a developed India by 2047, when the country completes 100 years of Independence.

‘Difficult to imagine India without Patel’: PM Modi recalls integration of over 550 princely states

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that modern India’s territorial and emotional unity was shaped by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, crediting the country’s first Deputy Prime Minister with bringing together more than 550 princely states after Independence and laying the foundation for a united nation. Addressing the ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’ gathering at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat’s Narmada district on Patel’s 151st birth anniversary, PM Modi said it was difficult to imagine India in its present form without the contribution of the country’s first Home Minister.
“After Independence, it was Sardar Patel who united more than 550 princely states and bound this nation together with his firm resolve,” he said.The Prime Minister said Patel’s contribution went beyond the integration of territories. He had understood that India’s diversity was not an obstacle to unity but its actual foundation, and had worked to bring the country together through a shared national identity. “He did not just unite the geography of the country; he also bound the nation together through emotional unity,” PM Modi said.
He added that Patel was familiar with India’s character and civilisational consciousness and recognised that people across different regions had lived together for thousands of years despite their differences. PM Modi also linked Patel’s contribution to the reconstruction of the Somnath temple in Gujarat, describing it as the beginning of a wider cultural revival after Independence.
“The completion of 75 years of the temple’s reconstruction is being marked through the ‘Somnath Swabhiman Parv’,” he noted.
Referring to the temple’s history, the Prime Minister said its flag continued to fly with pride despite repeated attempts by invaders to destroy it. “The spirit of self-respect associated with Somnath had inspired the observance of the commemorative festival,” he added.
PM Modi also placed the country’s recent national and cultural developments, including the restoration of the Kashi Vishwanath temple and the construction of the Ram temple, in the context of the path shown by Patel.
The Prime Minister said, “The country would remain indebted to Patel for his role in securing India’s unity after Partition and guiding its national journey.”
The annual Rashtriya Ekta Diwas observance marks Patel’s birth anniversary and includes a parade and other programmes at Ekta Nagar, where the Statue of Unity stands in his memory.