Floral tributes in Parliament House for Sardar Patel

New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) Vice President C P Radhakrishnan, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, several Union ministers and opposition leaders on Friday paid floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th birth anniversary in the central hall of Parliament, now known as Samvidhan Sadan.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of State for Law and Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh were also present at the event.

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, MPs and other dignitaries also paid tributes to Patel, the first home minister of the country.

A large number of school children and students from different educational institutions from the country participated in the event.

Speaker Om Birla interacted with the over 600 students gathered at the event from across the country to participate in a programme, "Know Your Leader", organised on the occasion of National Unity Day celebrated on Patel's birth anniversary.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also met the school students at the Samvidhan Sadan and got his pictures clicked with them.

Addressing the students, Birla said that India’s youth, guided by Sardar Patel’s vision and values, are driving the nation towards a developed nation through innovation, science, technology, and leadership.

Referring to Sardar Patel’s guiding values of unity and discipline, Birla emphasised that he continues to inspire India’s young citizens to work selflessly for the nation, according to a statement from the Lok Sabha secretariat.

Patel’s visionary leadership laid the foundations of India’s political unity and administrative strength.

Through courage, foresight, and statesmanship, Sardar Patel integrated hundreds of princely states into a single Union, ensuring that the newly independent India emerged as a united and sovereign nation, the Speaker said.

The world’s growing confidence in India, he said, is a tribute to the hard work, creativity, and commitment of its young people, who are building not only a stronger nation but also a more equitable and prosperous world, he was quoted as saying in the statement.

Commending the achievements of India’s youth, Birla noted that they have emerged as global leaders in fields such as artificial intelligence, digital technology, space research, green energy, and innovation.

Emphasizing that the 21st century belongs to nations that invest in their youth, Birla said that India’s demographic dividend is its greatest strategic advantage.

As India assumes a greater role on the global stage, Birla expressed confidence that its youth will continue to lead in shaping policies, technologies, and partnerships that benefit humanity as a whole. PTI SKC SKC SKY SKY