Iron Man

PM evokes legacy of Vallabhbhai Patel on Hyderabad visit

Modi-metro-pti Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the inauguration of the Hyderabad Metro Rail | PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has never wasted an opportunity to talk of his veneration for India's original 'Iron Man' and the country's first home minister, Vallabhbhai Patel. He did the same as he arrived in Hyderabad on Tuesday amid tight security to attend two high-profile events.

The PM, who landed at the Begumpet Airport on Tuesday afternoon, was received by Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana E.S.L. Narasimhan and cabinet ministers and senior officials. Before proceeding to inaugurate the Hyderabad Metro Rail, he spoke to around 4,000 BJP workers at a function organised by the party, just outside the airport premises.

He greeted the gathering of BJP workers in Telugu. “I am very happy to be here. Hyderabad reminds me of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He helped Hyderabad state merge with India and I salute him.”

In his five-minute speech, he also spoke about the sacrifices of the martyrs of the struggle for statehood for Telangana.

Calling Hyderabad a marvellous city, he said the BJP was committed to developing Telangana state. “The BJP does not discriminate against state governments based on politics. We support competitive corporate federalism and intend to help every state irrespective of who is in power.”

He also congratulated the BJP workers and their families for their contribution to the party’s growth and declared that the BJP was the largest political party in the world.

The PM was then flown in an Indian Air Force helicopter to Miyapur in Cyberabad. He unveiled a pylon at the Miyapur Metro Station, thus officially launching the metro services. Seated between Governor Narasimhan and Telangana IT Minister K.T. Rama Rao, Modi took a ride from Miyapur Station to Kukatpally. The train was driven by a female locomotive pilot.

The PM’s convoy then moved toward Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) for the inauguration of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in HITEC City.

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