Sardar Patel should have been first recipient of Bharat Ratna: Amit Shah

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah on Monday said that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel should have been the first recipient of Bharat Ratna-country's highest civilians award.

"There was a question to give Bharat Ratna to Sardar Patel. I think that if there was anyone who should have been awarded Bharat Ratna first, it would be Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel," said Shah, while addressing a public rally here.

Talking about the contribution of Sardar Patel towards India, Shah said it was because of him that India was progressing today.

"After independence, Britishers wanted to divide the country in more than 300 principalities. We got independence, the whole world believed; even people had questioned what would happen to the country now. Will this country be divided? But Sardar with his patience unified all principalities and worked to make one united India. It is because of this, our country is developing today."

The birth anniversary of Sardar Patel is being celebrated across the country as 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas' (National Unity Day).

The BJP president is currently on a five-day tour of the hill state ahead of the Assembly elections, which will be held on November 9.