Centre regretting ruckus against Sardar Patel's anniversary is 'acceptable': JD (U)

New Delhi [India], Oct. 14 (ANI): Janata Dal (United) Member of Legislative Assembly Rajiv Ranjan on Friday alluded to the celebrations lined up for Sardar Patel's 141st birth anniversary by the government and said that it is good as well as acceptable if the Centre regrets the ruckus created against Sardar Vallabhai Patel by the Bharatiya Janata Party. "If it is due to regrets somewhere, then it is good, but the nation is aware of the events etched in history. After the opinions Sardar Vallabhai held regarding the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) which created conflicts and after they decided to name the airport in Gandhinagar after him, many Bharatiya Janata Party workers created ruckus in Gujarat in protest," Ranjan said about the BJP's opposition to Sardar Vallabhai Patel. "If they are regretful, then this is a welcome step, because Sardar Vallabhai Patel has an unparalleled contribution in the formation of modern India," he added. The Centre has decided to celebrate the first Home Minister of India Sardar Vallabhai Patel's 141st birth anniversary in a grand fashion across the country on October 31. The government is also set to conduct unity runs (marathon) and pledge taking events to mark Sardar Patel's 141st birth anniversary as 'Rashtriya Ekta Divas'. Union ministers will lead yatras in various states, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to launch a digital exhibition on Sardar Patel. Famous as the Iron Man of India, Sardar Patel is credited with persuading more than 500 princely states to accede to the Union of Indian after independence. To mark the occasion, the Gujarat chief minister, Prime Minister Modi had earlier launched an initiative to install the tallest iron statue of Sardar Patel near the Narmada river. (ANI)