NEW DELHI, Oct 29: Union Home Minister Amit Shah remarked on Tuesday that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s legacy had faced repeated attempts to diminish its significance, noting that the Bharat Ratna was only conferred upon him decades after his passing.
At the ‘Run for Unity’ event ahead of Patel’s birth anniversary, Shah emphasized Patel’s critical role in uniting India, citing his leadership in merging over 550 princely states, including Lakshadweep, Junagarh, and Hyderabad, into the Union of India. Shah noted that despite these monumental achievements, “efforts were made to erase Sardar Patel’s legacy, and he was deprived of the Bharat Ratna for a long time.” Patel ultimately received the honor posthumously in 1991, 41 years after his death.
Shah highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to honoring Patel, which began during Modi’s tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat and included the creation of the world’s tallest statue, the Statue of Unity, in Kevadia. Shah praised Patel as a unifying figure and noted that India is now “dedicated to fulfilling the prime minister’s vision of a developed nation by 2047.”
The ‘Run for Unity’ is traditionally held on Patel’s birth anniversary, October 31, which has been observed as ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’ (National Unity Day) since 2014 to honor Patel’s legacy. This year’s event was scheduled earlier due to the Diwali festivities.
Amit Shah also announced that the government will commemorate Patel’s 150th birth anniversary with a nationwide, two-year program from 2024 to 2026 to celebrate his pivotal role in shaping modern India.
