PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi pay tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

On the 147th birth anniversary of India's Iron Man, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's in Parliament Central Hall on Tuesday.

A 'Run For Unity' marathon was also flagged off to commemorate the freedom fighter. (Source: Express Photo- Anil Sharma)

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi also laid flowers at a portrait of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Earlier, PM Modi had criticised previous governments for ignoring the legacy of Sardar Patel. Modi said, “There have been attempts to run down Patel, to ensure that the contribution of Patel is forgotten. But Sardar is Sardar, whether any government or any party recognises his contribution or not but the nation and the youth will not forget him.” (Source: Express Photo- Anil Sharma)

Rahul Gandhi and LK Advani at the memorial of Sardar Vallabbhai Patel.

Flagging off the unity run, the prime minister added that everyone in the country is proud of Patel’s contribution to India before it attained freedom and during the early years after the nation became independent. (Source: Express Photo- Anil Sharma)

Flanked by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, PM Modi said that at a time when the country was at the heights of internal conflict and facing external aggression, Patel, with his skills, vision and his patriotism, not only saved India but also managed to unite hundreds of smaller princely states into one. (Source: Express Photo- Anil Sharma)

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was also in attendance. Calling Sardar Patel the architect of Idea of India, he tweeted: “An embodiment of integrity & strength, Sardar Patel was one of the architects of Idea of India. My tributes to him on his birth anniversary.” (Source: Express Photo- Anil Sharma)