CM Samrat Choudhary Marks Unity Run Launch by Amit Shah
Synopsis
On National Unity Day, 31 October 2026, Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary live-streamed Home Minister Amit Shah's inauguration of the Unity Run — an annual tribute to Sardar Patel's legacy of national integration, observed since 2014.
Key Takeaways
Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the Unity Run on 31 October 2026 as part of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary shared the live broadcast of the event on X.
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas was declared in 2014 to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel , India's first Deputy Prime Minister.
The Unity Run is organised annually under the Ministry of Home Affairs , involving state governments, institutions, and citizens nationwide.
The observance honours Patel's role in integrating over 560 princely states into post-independence India.
On Rashtriya Ekta Diwas — 31 October 2026 — the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Union Home Minister Amit Shah flagged off the national Unity Run, marking another year of India's most prominent public tribute to the 'Iron Man of India.' Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary shared the live broadcast of the event on X, amplifying the occasion to his followers.
Sardar Patel's Legacy and the Day That Honours It
The Government of India declared 31 October as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) in 2014, specifically to honour Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's extraordinary role in integrating over 560 princely states into the Indian Union after independence. Patel, India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, achieved in months what diplomats said would take decades. The day has since become an annual occasion for pledge ceremonies, runs, and institutional events across the country.
The Unity Run: Citizen Participation as a National Statement
The Unity Run is the centrepiece of National Unity Day programming, organised under the aegis of the Ministry of Home Affairs with participation from state governments, public institutions, youth groups, and citizens. The event is designed as a living, moving symbol of national integration — the act of running together carrying the same weight as any formal ceremony. Home Minister Amit Shah's inauguration of the run lends the event its highest-level political imprimatur, signalling the Union government's continued commitment to Patel's integrationist legacy.
CM Samrat Choudhary's live broadcast of the event on X reflects Bihar's alignment with the national observance, bringing the occasion to audiences across one of India's most populous states.
Point of View
Which has consistently positioned Sardar Patel as an ideological touchstone — a Congress icon it has sought to claim as a pan-Indian hero. Home Minister Amit Shah's personal inauguration of the Unity Run, amplified by state leaders like Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary, underscores the party's strategy of embedding Patel's integrationist legacy into its governance narrative. For Bihar, a state with its own complex history of regional identity politics, associating with a national unity message carries deliberate political resonance. The annual cadence of these events also strengthens Centre-state coordination optics ahead of any electoral cycle.
NationPress
31 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Rashtriya Ekta Diwas and why is it celebrated on 31 October?
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, or National Unity Day, is observed on 31 October every year because it is the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel , India's first Deputy Prime Minister. The Government of India declared this observance in 2014 to honour Patel's historic role in integrating over 560 princely states into the Indian Union after independence.
What is the Unity Run on National Unity Day?
The Unity Run is a public run organised on Rashtriya Ekta Diwas as a symbol of national integration. It is coordinated by the Ministry of Home Affairs with participation from state governments, institutions, and citizens across India, and has been held annually since 2014.
Who flagged off the Unity Run in 2026?
Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the Unity Run on 31 October 2026 as part of the National Unity Day celebrations.
Why did Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary post about the Unity Run?
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary shared the live broadcast of Home Minister Amit Shah's inauguration of the Unity Run on X to amplify the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas observance and align Bihar with the national event.
What was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's contribution to India?
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel , known as the 'Iron Man of India,' served as India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. He is credited with integrating over 560 princely states into the Indian Union after independence in 1947, a diplomatic and political achievement of extraordinary scale.
