Panaji: Goa Congress President Amit Patkar on Monday said time has come to save India which was united by first Deputy Prime Minister of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and protected by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
”Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel tackled the most intricate and baffling problem of the states’ integration into the Union of India. With his tact, powers of persuasion and his statesmanship he managed in less than a year’s time, to reduce the princely states from 562 to 26 administrative units and bringing democracy to nearly 80 million people of India, comprising almost 27 per cent of the country’s population, Patkar said after paying floral tributes to the portrait of Sardar Patel and Indira Gandhi.
Congress party commemorated the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel and death anniversary of Indira Gandhi at the party office in the city.
Leader of Opposition in Goa Assembly Yuri Alemao said, ”Iron Lady and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi sacrificed her life for the country. She conducted herself with remarkable patience and restraint. She won the 1971 India-Pakistan war decisively – splitting Pakistan into two, with the formation of new country, Bangladesh.”
South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha said Sardar Patel and Indira Gandhi have immensely contributed in nation building and it is the duty of every citizen to follow their ideals which will help in safeguarding democracy.
