Modi accuses Nehru of blocking Patel from fully integrating Kashmir

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru of preventing Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel from fully integrating Jammu and Kashmir into India. Speaking at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat on the 150th birth anniversary of Patel, Modi said Kashmir was divided and given a separate Constitution and flag, which caused the nation to suffer for decades due to Congress’s mistakes.

Modi lauded Patel’s leadership in uniting more than 550 princely states post-Independence, calling him the architect of a “united and great India.” He said Patel’s vision and resolve created history, unlike the “wasted opportunities” of later governments that encouraged division and indecision.

The Prime Minister also warned against foreign infiltrators destabilising India’s demographic balance, accusing past administrations of ignoring the threat for vote-bank politics. “Our unity and security are under threat. The country has now decided to remove every infiltrator,” Modi said, urging citizens to take a pledge on Rashtriya Ekta Diwas to uphold national integrity.

Before addressing the gathering, Modi reviewed the National Unity Day parade by police and paramilitary forces. He reiterated his government’s determination to eradicate Maoism and “every trace of colonial mindset,” calling Patel the driving force behind India’s integration and a guiding light for future generations.