Lucknow, October 31, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday invoked Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s legacy on his 151st birth anniversary, saying that those who regard Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah as their ideal could not accept the country’s first Deputy Prime Minister as a role model.
Addressing a National Unity Day programme in Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath said that only people with nationalism in their hearts could truly follow Patel, popularly known as the ‘Iron Man of India’.
“Those who consider Jinnah as their ideal, how will they accept Iron Man Patel? Only those who have nationalism in their hearts can be followers of the Iron Man,” he said.
The Chief Minister paid tribute to Patel, describing him as a staunch nationalist and one of the architects of modern India. He urged people to take the National Unity Day pledge and make its principles part of their everyday lives.
Adityanath said National Unity Day has been observed across the country since 2014, with programmes organised to commemorate Patel’s contribution. He also recalled Patel’s role in integrating the princely states, particularly Hyderabad, into the Indian Union.
Referring to the Statue of Unity in Gujarat, he credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with playing a key role in establishing the world’s tallest statue of Patel, saying it reflected the stature of the national leader.
The Chief Minister also warned against divisions along caste, regional and linguistic lines, saying such divisions weaken society and threaten national unity. He referred to the vision of “one Constitution and one flag” and recalled the contributions of Patel and Syama Prasad Mookerjee.
On the employment front, Adityanath said no youth in Uttar Pradesh would remain unemployed, adding that the state government was advancing skill-development and employment programmes. He said a new initiative in this direction would be launched shortly.
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