Shah: Patidar community has played significant role in development of Gujarat, country

Ahmedabad, Aug 24 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that while Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s contributions to India are invaluable, the Patidar community to which he belonged has also played a key role in the development of Gujarat and the country.

Virtually inaugurating Phase 2 of the Sardar Dham Girls Hostel in Ahmedabad, Shah said that the map of today’s India would not have been possible without Sardar Patel.

“I travel all over the country, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, and from Dwarka to Kamakhya. Every youth, sister, brother, and even children bow down in front of Sardar Saheb. His contribution has been invaluable not only in the history of Gujarat but also in the country,” he said.

Sardar Dham is a charitable trust that works towards uplifting the Patiday community in the state.

“In the (country's) journey of 80 years and since the formation of Gujarat in 1960, the graph of both the development of Gujarat and the development of the Patidar community has been increasing in a similar manner,” Shah said.

Besides the development of its own, the Patidar community has also made a huge contribution to the development of Gujarat as well, Shah said.

“Looking at the condition of society many years ago and today, the Patidar community has left no stone unturned in working hard and contributing to women’s welfare, business, service, agriculture, and industry. In every field, the community has played a role in the development of Gujarat and the country,” he said.

The community’s biggest contribution is that those blessed by Goddess Lakshmi (wealthy Patidars) started programmes to take the rest of society forward, Shah added. PTI KA NR