Gujarat a state for all Indians: CM Vijay Rupani

Lucknow: Days after the attacks on Hindi-speaking migrants in Gujarat, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said Monday his state was for all Indians and cared for everybody's "honour, development and safety".

Migrants, especially those hailing from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, were targeted in several parts of Gujarat following the arrest of a Bihar native for allegedly raping a 14-month-old girl earlier this month.

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"India is one, and this Gujarat is of (Mahatma) Gandhi, Sardar (Vallabhbhai Patel) and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modji. This is a mini-India (laghu Bharat) for all the Indians, and everyone's honour, safety and development is ensured," Rupani said.

People from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other states have contributed to the development of Gujarat, he said during the second day of his visit to Lucknow. 

Rupani had arrived in the Uttar Pradesh capital Sunday evening and has extended an invitation to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the unveiling ceremony of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 'Statue of Unity' on the banks of the Narmada river on October 31.

"The way sugar easily dissolves in milk, people from across the country living in Surat, Ahmedabad, Kutch and Baroda are living in harmony and taking Gujarat forward," he said at a function at the Indira Gandhi Pratisthaan here.

The chief minister said in the development of Gujarat, there is the hardwork of people from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and Maharashtra. 

People from southern and northern states, everyone has contributed to the development of Gujarat, he said.

Describing the 'Statue of Unity' a true tribute to Patel, he said, "We challenge those people who want to break the country, we will keep it (India) safe. This is our pledge." 

"The 'Statue of Unity' is a symbol of our unity. Today, anti-India forces are indulging in every possible work to break this unity. 

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"On the basis of the 'Statue of Unity', we want to challenge them that we all are one, and we will strive for the country's unity. No one will be able to break this country, and the Statue of Unity will unite people of this country. We are working in this direction," Rupani said.

He claimed now nowhere in the world such a tall statue is going to come up in the next 25-50 years. (PTI)

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