Punjab governor and Chandigarh administrator Gulab Chand Kataria on Saturday led a ‘Run for Unity’ march from Sukhna Lake to the Capitol Complex Tourist Centre to mark Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, commemorating Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary.
Chief secretary H Rajesh Prasad, senior officials, students, and residents also participated in the march. The programme began with the rendition of Vande Mataram and the administration of the unity pledge. Kataria highlighted Patel’s contribution to integrating princely states and urged people to uphold national unity, integrity, and brotherhood. At the Civil Secretariat, Saini paid floral tributes to Patel and administered the National Unity Day pledge to officers and employees.
Haryana chief minister Nayab Saini on Saturday called upon people of Haryana to draw inspiration from Patel’s legacy of national integration and work towards building a developed India by 2047, saying the Iron Man of India had united more than 560 princely states after Independence and laid the foundation of a strong and united nation. Recalling Patel’s contribution to public administration, Saini said he had laid the foundation of the All India Services and emphasised integrity, impartiality and commitment to public service while addressing officers on April 21, 1947.
Addressing National Unity Day programmes at the Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh and the ‘Run for Unity’ event in Panchkula, Saini said the responsibility of the present generation was to carry forward his vision through national unity, good governance and collective efforts for development. Urging people to respect the country’s linguistic and cultural diversity, Saini said differences in languages, attire and traditions should not become a source of division. “The Constitution, the national flag and a shared national identity bound the people together,” he said.
