Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel on Monday said that former PM Indira Gandhi had reversed the order by Sardar Patel of paying privy purse to erstwhile state royals. He said the statements made by some of the Congress leaders on Sardar Patel's statue were unfortunate.

Patel lambasted the Congress leaders, including Ahmed Patel and former chief minister and former Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela.

"Sardar Patel had decided to give privy purse to the erstwhile royals in India who gave away their assets for the Union of India. But, former PM Indira Gandhi reversed Sardar Patel's order just in quest of publicity as if she was doing something new for the sake of the nation," he said.

"When the Congress leaders are finger pointing at these royals and making allegations on us, they should peep into their conscience," Patel added.

He also reacted on Ahmed Patel's comment and said, "Ahmed Patel is a senior Congress leader and belongs to Gujarat. However, it is unfortunate that instead of being happy for the Statue, he said Sardar Patel did not require any such honour."

"Congress always have anti-Sardar psyche because they do not want the leaders other than from one clan, who contributed for the freedom, to be glorified. They did it with Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Dr BR Ambedkar and Subhash Chandra Bose and they should apologise for this," he said.

Patel also said that PM Narendra Modi, during his tenure as the CM of Gujarat, had envisioned Sardar Patel's contribution to the Union of India. The statue of unity was the culmination of that, the deputy CM said.