"Patel's outlook was totally secular. He had great faith in the country's integrity. He had once said the entire country is like my village and people of all communities are like my friends and relatives. I am proud to be a member of a political party with which he was associated," he said, apparently targeting Modi and BJP for Hindutva bias.
"In his entire life Sardar Patel worked to strengthen the Indian National Congress. He was also appointed president of the party at its Karachi session," Singh said, reminding the BJP stalwart, whose election campaign slogan is "Congress mukt Bharat (Congress-free India)" of Patel's deep association with the party.
The gathering, which comprised mainly Congress followers, cheered the Prime Minister every time he seemed to be hitting out at Modi and even shouted slogans in support of Singh when he stood up to make his speech.
After initial exchange of pleasantries when both leaders were seen talking to each other smilingly, the temperature of the electoral arena spilled over to the dais with the two crossing swords over Patel in their speeches.
Referring to Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Patel and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the Prime Minister said, "Certain things were common among all of them - faith in India's unity, a secular outlook, empathy for the poor and the weak, fortitude and tolerance for ideologies other than their's."
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