New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s patriotism, sacrifices and contribution to national integration continued to inspire the country’s youth.
Addressing the ‘Run for Unity’ event in Delhi to mark National Unity Day, Shah said the tradition of observing Patel’s birth anniversary as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas began after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister.
Recalling Patel’s role in nation-building, Shah said the former deputy prime minister had transformed India’s political and geographical landscape by integrating several princely states after independence.
He said international observers had doubted whether India would remain united after independence, but Patel achieved what many considered impossible within 1,218 days.
Shah said Patel’s efforts to unite the princely states laid the foundation for a unified India and enabled the country to stand confidently before the world.
He urged the younger generation to draw inspiration from Patel’s commitment to national unity and patriotism.
