Sardar Patel wanted to unite entire Kashmir with India, Nehru did not allow it: Modi
Ekta Nagar (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said Sardar Patel wanted to unite the entire Kashmir, just as he did with other princely states, into India, but then PM Nehru did not allow it to happen.
“Sardar Patel believed that one should not waste time writing history but we should work hard to create history,” Modi said, addressing the gathering after the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade near the Statue of Unity in Gujarat’s Ekta Nagar.
“Sardar Patel wanted to unite the entire Kashmir, just as he did with other princely states. But Nehru ji stopped his wish from being fulfilled. Kashmir was divided, given a separate Constitution and a separate flag - and the nation suffered for decades because of Congress’ mistake,” Modi said.
The policies that Sardar Patel formulated, the decisions he took, created new history, the PM said.
“After Independence, the impossible task of uniting more than 550 princely states was made possible by Sardar Patel. The idea of One India, Excellent India, was paramount for him,” Modi said.
“Sardar Patel once remarked that his greatest joy came from serving the nation. I want to convey to the people of our country that there is no greater source of happiness than dedicating oneself to the service of the nation,” he said.
“The country has decided to have a decisive fight against infiltrators. On Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, we should pledge to remove each and every infiltrator from the country,” Modi said.
“Today, the unity and internal security of our nation face serious threat from infiltrators. For decades, infiltrators have been entering our country and disrupting its demographic balance,” Modi said.
Highlighting the work against Naxal terror, Modi said his government will not stop till Naxalism and Maoism is rooted out of the country.
Slamming the Congress, Modi said that party inherited “slave mentality” from the British who ruled India. The country is removing every trace of colonial mindset, he added.
“Every thought or action that weakens the unity of our nation must be shunned by every citizen. This is the need of the hour for our country,” the prime minister said.
Before his speech, Modi reviewed the National Unity Day parade in which contingents from police and paramilitary forces took part.
Women officers commanded all the contingents, including paramilitary forces like BSF, CISF, ITBP, CRPF and SSB, and police contingents from Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Assam, Tripura, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
A contingent of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) also participated in the parade.
The parade featured 16 BSF personnel who were awarded gallantry medals for their participation in Operation Sindoor.
The parade showcased a marching contingent of Indian breed dogs from the BSF, including the celebrated Mudhol hound Riya which recently won the All-India Police Dog Competition.
Rampur hounds and Mudhol hounds demonstrated their skills at the event, which included a spectacular air show by the Surya Kiran team of the Indian Air Force.
The Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team was formed in 1996 and is among the very few nine-aircraft aerobatics teams in the world, and the only one of its kind in Asia.
The parade also featured a motorcycle daredevil show by Assam Police, and a camel mounted contingent and band by the BSF.
Ten tableaux from various states and union territories, including the NSG and NDRF, reinforce the theme of unity in diversity.
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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
