Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday dedicated the world’s tallest statue, the “Statue of Unity”, to the nation, at Kevadiya in Narmada district of Gujarat. The 182 metre statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was dedicated to the nation on his 143rd birth anniversary.
At the launch ceremony, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah were also present. After the inauguration, PM Modi also addressed a gathering.
Here are the top 10 highlights from PM Modi’s speech:
1. Statue of Unity is symbol of country's engineering and technical capabilities: PM Modi
2. Sardar Patel's statue will remind those who question India's existence that this nation was, is and will remain eternal: PM Modi
3. Had Sardar Patel not united country, we would need visa to see lions or pay homage at Somnath or view Charminar in Hyderabad: PM Modi
4. Sardar Patel's statue will remind world about courage of man who thwarted attempts to disintegrate India: PM Modi
5. Patel had said infighting was the reason for India's subordination by foreign powers; never again will India make the same mistake and never will India again be enslaved: PM Modi
6. Kutch to Kohima and Kargil and Kanyakumari, if we can travel freely today, it is because of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel: PM Modi
7. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel led the path for India, walking on which we are talking with the world on our own terms now: PM Modi
8. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was instrumental in giving women an active role in Indian politics: PM Modi
9. Crores of farmers converted the construction of Statue Of Unity to a peoples' movement: PM
10. It was due to the round the clock effort of Sardar Patel that the map of India is what it is today: PM