Run for Unity

  
India celebrated its first ever Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or National Unity Day on the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on 31st October, 2014. Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the ‘Run for Unity’ from Rajpath to India Gate and thus the day was started with various students, teachers and many more including prominent sports personality like cricketer Gautam Gambhir and boxer Sushil Kumar who actively participated in the event to commemorate independent India’s first Home Minister and his hero Sardar Patel’s 139th birth anniversary. In his speech, the Prime Minister reminded the people about the contribution of Patel in the Independence movement. His journey which was deep rooted with courage; dedication and which served to the motherland and his vision of national unity despite facing obstacles was in itself cherishing. Mr. Modi said “Mahatma Gandhi was incomplete without Sardar Patel”, he has a pivotal place in Indian History.

Various students of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University also actively participated in the event; nearly 120-150 students went for the run for unity along with teachers of various schools. The experience was good in regard with the event. Full facilities were provided along with refreshments and each participant was given a T-shirt, but some basic necessity like washroom was not there for women. The area was not cleaned and people with a new beginning of unity forgot the earlier mission “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan” as crushed bottles were seen everywhere but some people were picking up them as well. When questioned, a student of IP University said, “Overall it was a good experience, but some facilities were not there, and this type of run would not bring any difference, as people have not even followed the earlier mission of clean India, I think the same clean mission should have been continued.”

Things have started changing with the change of the new government. As on 31st October 1984 the first women Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her bodyguards. But this 30th Death anniversary was different this time as it was taken over by the Birth anniversary. It seems as if her Birth anniversary on November 19th will also see some changes, which will be celebrated as National Integration Day. The government has thus announced that it will observe anniversary of Sardar Patel on October 31st every year as National Unity Day to pay tribute to his efforts to unite India.