New Delhi, Oct 31: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday flagged off the ‘Run for Unity’ in the national capital to mark the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, observed as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.
Amit Shah also administered the Unity Pledge to participants, reaffirming the commitment to national unity and integrity. Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Ministers of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai and Bandi Sanjay Kumar were among those present.
Addressing the gathering, Amit Shah said Patel had not only transformed India’s history but also shaped its geography by integrating numerous princely states after Independence. He said that within 1,218 days of Independence, Patel achieved the task of uniting the country despite predictions that India would disintegrate.
Amit Shah said the country’s linguistic, cultural and religious diversity was its strength and called for preserving national unity through dialogue, trust and an inclusive approach. Referring to the government’s initiatives, he said the removal of Article 370, the elimination of Naxalism and the introduction of a unified tax system were significant milestones. He added that building a drug-free India was essential to realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’. Amit Shah also recalled Patel’s role in envisioning the reconstruction of the Somnath Temple and said initiatives such as ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ were helping the country advance towards becoming one of the world’s leading economies.
