Congress leaders on Saturday, 31 October sharply rejected Home Minister Amit Shah's assertion that the party had deliberately attempted to sideline and erase the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, insisting it had always upheld the honour of India's first Deputy Prime Minister on his 151st birth anniversary. The pushback came after Shah addressed the 'Ekta Run' event in New Delhi, where he claimed Patel was denied due recognition during Congress's years in power.

Delhi Congress President Hits Back

Delhi Congress President Devender Yadav argued that erecting a statue alone does not constitute genuine respect for a leader. 'Building a statue is one thing; however, the Congress party has ensured that the respect due to the 'Iron Man', who also served as the national president of the Congress party, is duly accorded to him. No one can forget his contributions to the nation-building process. The steadfastness and strength with which Patel Sahib worked to integrate all the princely states can never be forgotten. The Congress party has always cherished its leaders and its legacy, and it will continue to do so in the future,' Yadav said.

Yadav's remarks were a pointed reference to the Statue of Unity in Gujarat — the world's tallest statue, built by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government as a tribute to Patel — which critics argue is symbolic rather than substantive.

Congress MPs Accuse BJP of Political Opportunism

Congress MP K. Suresh accused the BJP of cynically exploiting Sardar Patel's name for electoral gain. 'We always respect Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, and all the past leaders. We respect the Father of the Nation and all those who contributed to the freedom movement and the building of the nation. But what the BJP is doing is seeking political mileage. They want political mileage; that's why they are focussing entirely on Sardar Patel,' he said.

Congress leader Salman Khurshid echoed this view, cautioning that weaponising Patel's name for political ends risks diminishing the very reverence the BJP claims to uphold. 'We maintain that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel deserves as much respect as any other great leader; we fully acknowledge his contributions. We are deeply committed to the vision, words, and actions of Sardar Patel, just as he himself intended. Given this, why do they make such statements? By saying such things, they are only damaging his image and diminishing the respect he commands. It is truly incomprehensible why they choose to make such remarks,' Khurshid said.

Madhya Pradesh Congress Raises RSS Angle

Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari took the sharpest aim, linking Shah's remarks to what he described as an effort to distract from pressing national issues. 'Amit Shah wants to conceal his own misdeeds. Look at the current state of the nation: unemployment has reached staggering, unimaginable levels; the economy has collapsed; foreign exchange reserves have dwindled; social harmony has been shattered; and institutions like the Election Commission, along with the commissioners themselves — have been reduced to mere servants,' Patwari said.

Patwari also raised a pointed historical question, noting that Sardar Patel himself had imposed a ban on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and that the current government's actions, he argued, were at odds with decisions Patel had taken to foster national harmony, unity, and integrity.

What Amit Shah Said

Speaking earlier in the day at the 'Ekta Run' organised in New Delhi to mark Patel's 151st birth anniversary, Shah claimed that the former Deputy Prime Minister had not received the respect he deserved during Congress rule. 'For many years, India did not accord Sardar Patel the respect he deserved. The Congress party consistently attempted to sideline and forget Sardar Sahab, but a radiant personality like his can never be erased from the nation's memory,' Shah said.

This is not the first time the BJP has invoked Patel's legacy to draw a contrast with the Nehru-Gandhi lineage celebrated by the Congress — the framing has been a recurring element of the party's political messaging, particularly around 31 October, observed nationally as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day). Both parties' claims about who truly honours Patel's memory are likely to remain a fixture of India's political discourse ahead of upcoming state elections.