Marking the 151st birth anniversary of India’s Iron Man, Bharat Ratna Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath delivered an uncompromising warning against elements threatening India’s social fabric. Leading the state’s official celebrations on Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) at the Sardar Patel statue near the General Post Office (GPO) in Hazratganj, Lucknow, the Chief Minister offered floral tributes and administered the sacred national unity pledge to a massive gathering of citizens, ministers, and administrative officers. Addressing the assembly, Adityanath emphasized that casteism, regionalism, and linguistic chauvinism serve as slow poisons that hollow out a country from within, demanding that society mount a collective, unyielding resistance against both “casteism” and “Jinnahism”.

“Those Who Idolize Jinnah Cannot Be Patel’s Followers”: Drawing a Clear Ideological Line

In an explicit, direct attack on political entities and ideological factions that indulge in appeasement and historical revisionism, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath asserted that veneration of the Iron Man is incompatible with the glorification of Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

“A true follower of the Iron Man can only be someone who holds the sentiment of nationalism deep in their heart and places India’s unity, security, and sovereignty above all else. Those who consider Jinnah their ideal and work to divide society through sectarian fault lines can never be the true followers of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.”

Adityanath drew an analogy between biological health and national security, explaining that when the human body loses its immune resistance, diseases infiltrate and overpower it. In the exact same manner, whenever a nation fragments along caste, regional, or linguistic identities, its collective resistance dissolves, effectively rolling out an invitation for external adversaries and invaders.

Unifying 563 Princely States: Recalling the Iron Will Behind Junagadh and Hyderabad

Reflecting on the monumental integration achieved by Sardar Patel during India’s partition and independence, the Chief Minister recalled how the Iron Man integrated over 563 princely states into the sovereign Indian Union. Adityanath recounted that when rulers like the Nawab of Junagadh and the Nizam of Hyderabad attempted to subvert the accession process, Patel gave an unequivocal ultimatum: if dialogue failed, India had the resolve and power to enforce integration. The decisive stance forced the Nawab of Junagadh to flee across the border and crushed the violent repression engineered by the Nizam, ensuring that millions of citizens were securely protected under the Indian flag. Adityanath noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative to build the world’s tallest monument, the Statue of Unity in Kevadia, Gujarat, stands as an enduring tribute to Patel’s towering vision and unbending fortitude.

Sharp Attack on Congress and Nehru Over Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir

Turning his address toward the historic handling of Jammu and Kashmir, Yogi Adityanath leveled sharp criticism against former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the Congress party. The Chief Minister stated that while Sardar Patel successfully integrated hundreds of disparate states into a seamless republic, Nehru chose to retain the Kashmir portfolio exclusively under his personal purview. This misstep, he argued, resulted in tribal raiders backed by Pakistan capturing territory that remains under illegal Pakistani occupation to this day. Adityanath pointed out that despite the vocal opposition of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Nehru instituted Article 370, an act he characterized as a historical wrong against national integration. He emphasized that by nullifying Article 370 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the central leadership fulfilled the long-cherished dream of Sardar Patel and Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, enshrining “Ek Desh Mein Ek Vidhan, Ek Pradhan, Aur Ek Nishan”.

Ground-Level Action: Launch of Sardar Patel Employment & Industrial Zones Across UP

Transforming commemorative homage into practical governance, the Chief Minister utilized the occasion to announce a massive state-wide employment and skill-development roadmap. Honoring the memory of Sardar Patel, the Uttar Pradesh government officially launched the ₹1,725-crore Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Skill Training and Employment Zone Development Scheme. Under this initiative, every single district across Uttar Pradesh will establish a dedicated “Sardar Patel Employment and Industrial Zone”. In the first operational phase, foundation stones are being laid for specialized skill development and employment hubs across Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Jhansi, and Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida). Chief Minister Adityanath reiterated his administration’s goal that no youth in Uttar Pradesh should remain without productive livelihood avenues, linking industrial self-reliance directly with national unity.