Anti-national forces trying to divide the country: CM

On the 144th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that some anti-nationals were trying to divide the country and the need of the hour was to expose such forces and thwart their evil designs.

“Today many anti-national forces are active. They are constantly conspiring to divide the nation. We must expose such forces and thwart their evil intentions. Sardar Patel, as the first Home Minister of the country, successfully did this work. Merger of 563 princely states after Independence is proof of his competence. Present day India is because of his futuristic vision,” the Chief Minister said after flagging off a Run For Unity in Lucknow on Thursday morning.

“To propagate the important role played by Patel for the integrity and unity of the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi constructed the world’s tallest statue at Sardar Patel’s birthplace. This was to make people aware of Sardar Patel’s contribution to the nation. In order to involve every citizen of the nation, iron was collected from households to build the statue,” Yogi said.

The Chief Minister said that the youth should adopt the ideals and values of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Yogi said that numerous people made sacrifices for the independence of the nation. “Let us make a resolution today to keep this freedom intact. It is our duty to pay respect to this great leader and fulfil his dream,” Yogi said, disclosing that Sardar Patel came to Lucknow on January 6, 1948 and planted a tree at Raj Bhawan premises.
To mark the birth anniversary of Patel, the Chief Minister paid floral tributes at his statue at GPO Park and flagged off the Run for Unity from there. It culminated at KD Singh Babu Stadium.

UP ministers Brajesh Pathak, Gopalji Tandon, Dr Mahendra Singh, Additional Chief Secretary Awanish Awasthi, DGP OP Singh and several other dignitaries were present on the occasion. The Chief Minister also administered a pledge to the people to work for the unity and integrity of the country.

Earlier, in his tweet, the Chief Minister said, ‘’The Run for Unity organised on the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel provides all of us an opportunity to reaffirm the inherent strength and resilience of our great nation to withstand the actual and potential threats to the unity, integrity and security of our country’’.
Yogi further posted, ‘’This year, the Run (for Unity) is special as after 70 years, Jammu and Kashmir’s integration with Maa Bharati is complete with the scrapping of Article 370.’’
In the evening, district police and other uniformed forces held a march-past through the main areas of the state capital.