"India’s unity has been an eyesore for our enemies," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while giving a speech in his home state of Gujarat on Monday.
"Not just today, but for thousands of years and even during the period of our slavery, all foreign attackers did whatever they wanted to do to break this unity," Modi added.
Cautioning the countrymen to be alert of the forces that are still prevalent and want to divide them in the name of caste, region & language, the Indian Prime Minister said "we have to answer them as sons of this country, we have to remain one."
He added that for India, unity has never been an obligation, it is the country's specialty.
"The value of Unity is so ingrained in our nature… sometimes we even become hazy about it. But whenever there is a natural calamity, the entire country stands together. Whether you are in the North or South, East or West, the entire country stands in compassion and unity.”
Prime Minister paid tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birthday, and also offered condolences to those who died in the Morbi bridge collapse tragedy on Sunday.
Although “duty” required him to be in Ekta Nagar, Patel's “mind was with the families of the victims” in the suspension bridge collapse, Modi said.
Celebrations to mark National Unity Day across the country were called off in the wake of the tragedy in Morbi: only formal police parades and defense shows were held with the Statue of Unity in the backdrop to mark the anniversary of Patel's birth.
Meanwhile, federal Home Minister Amit Shah also paid tribute to Sardar Patel in Delhi and flagged off the ‘Run for Unity’ marathon.
Addressing participants of the marathon, Shah said “Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel realized the dream of a strong and united India with his farsightedness, despite attempts by some forces to keep the country divided.”
“In the next 25 years, India will be able to realize the dream of the country's freedom fighters of making India a strong and prosperous country and celebrate its 100th year of independence,” he added.
Patel is known for unification of more than 550 princely states in India, for which he is also known as the ‘Iron Man of India’. The country celebrates 'National Unity Day to commemorate his birth.