Union Home Minister Amit Shah officially kicked off the ‘Run for Unity’ event in New Delhi on Tuesday, marking National Unity Day. This annual event honors the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a key figure in India’s history known for uniting the nation.
While people traditionally celebrate Patel’s birth anniversary on October 31, this year’s festivities moved to October 29 to avoid a clash with Diwali celebrations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the change during his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address.
During the event, Shah lamented the historical neglect of Sardar Patel’s contributions. “For years, there were attempts to forget Sardar Patel, the man who united 553 princely states and laid the foundation for the India we see today,” he stated. He emphasize that Patel unjustly overlook for the prestigious ‘Bharat Ratna’ award. However, he credited Prime Minister Modi for revitalizing Patel’s legacy, particularly through the installation of the world’s tallest statue in Kevadia, Gujarat.
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Shah urged participants to pledge their commitment to national unity and development. “Let us pledge to strengthen India through this unity run and commit to making India fully developed by 2047,” he declared.
The Home Minister also explained the rationale behind the date change, stating, “This year, we chose to hold the Unity Run on Dhanteras to honor the Diwali festival on October 31.”
The ‘Run for Unity’ event has been held since 2015, following Modi’s initiative to commemorate Patel’s legacy. Shah remarked, “Today, our gathering for the Unity Run is not just a call for national unity but also a pledge for a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India).”
The event drew significant participation, with over 7,700 individuals registered to take part in the marathon, which commenced at 7:40 a.m. from the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium and concluded at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Statue.
Several Union Ministers, including Mansukh Mandaviya, Manohar Lal Khattar, and Nityanand Rai, along with Delhi Lt. Governor V.K. Saxena, attended the launch. Authorities issued a traffic advisory around India Gate and C-Hexagon to facilitate the event, which ran from 6:45 a.m. until its conclusion.
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