Jawaharlal Nehru created a chronic wound in J&K through Article 370: JP Nadda
Speaking in Vadodara on the occasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 150th birth anniversary celebrations, BJP chief J P Nadda said only PM Narendra Modi had ensured that Patel “got his rightful due”.
Calling Sardar Patel a “rashtra purush”, Nadda said that while his work in integrating the country should be remembered, one should also keep in mind who tried to weaken it. (File Photo)
BJP national president J P Nadda said Saturday that while Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had brought in 562 states into the country, the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had created a chronic wound in Jammu and Kashmir by bringing in Article 370 and had weakened the country’s unity in the process.
“Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel brought 562 states together and got their accession done… However, Jawaharlal Nehru said that he would take a decision on one state as he was Kashmiri and that was Jammu and Kashmir, and the decision taken by him became a wound in the country’s unity and integrity. The wound came to be known as Article 370,” said Nadda.
The BJP chief was speaking in Vadodara on the occasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 150th birth anniversary celebrations, which is being observed as ‘Sardar@ 150 National Unity March’.
Calling Sardar Patel not just a “national hero” but a “rashtra purush”, Nadda said that while his work in integrating the country should be remembered, one should also keep in mind who tried to weaken it. “Nehru put the obstacle of Article 370. One state became such a wound that it had a different flag, a different Prime Minister and a state Assembly where Indian laws were not applicable. This wound was given by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. When we remember Sardar, who worked for the unity of the country, we should also remember those who weakened the country,” he said.
Nadda added that it was only due to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the strategy deployed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah that Article 370 could be removed.
Slamming the Congress, Nadda said that the party had tried to erase Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s name and contributions to the country as part of a well-planned “conspiracy”. “The Congress party deliberately engaged in a conspiracy to remove Sardar Patel’s name from history… I don’t want to talk about how senior Congress leaders were prevented from participating in Sardar Patel’s funeral,” the BJP president alleged.
Nadda said that it was only PM Modi who ensured that “Sardar Patel got his rightful due”. Highlighting the 182-metre tall statue of Sardar Patel in Kevadia, which is known as the Statue of Unity, the BJP chief said that it was not just a statue but a symbol of India’s 140-crore population.
Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues.
Expertise:
Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including:
Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground.
Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure.
Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case).
Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions.
Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More
