CM Fadnavis honours Sardar Patel on National Unity Day
Synopsis
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis honoured Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary, marking Rashtriya Ekta Diwas on 31 October 2026, and called on citizens to uphold national unity, integrity and strength.
Key Takeaways
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis posted a tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on 31 October 2026 , his birth anniversary.
The day is observed as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) across India, a designation established by the Government of India in 2014 .
Patel served as India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister , integrating over 500 princely states after 1947 .
Fadnavis posted in both English and Marathi, addressing citizens of Maharashtra directly.
BJP-led governments at the Centre and in states routinely mark the date with official observances, unity pledges, and tribute events.
Seventy-nine years after Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel stitched together more than 500 princely states into a single sovereign republic, his birth anniversary still commands the political calendar. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis marked Rashtriya Ekta Diwas on Saturday, 31 October 2026, paying tribute to the Iron Man of India and calling on citizens to uphold the unity and integrity of the nation.
Posting in both English and Marathi, Fadnavis wrote: 'भारताचे पहिले उपपंतप्रधान, राष्ट्रीय एकतेचे व अखंडतेचे शिल्पकार, लोहपुरूष सरदार वल्लभभाई पटेल यांना जयंतीदिनी कोटी कोटी नमन!' — 'A crore salutes to the first Deputy Prime Minister of India, the architect of national unity and integrity, the Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary!' He also extended warm wishes for National Unity Day to the people of Maharashtra.
The man who built India's map
Patel's achievement was staggering in its scale and speed. As India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, he negotiated and, where necessary, compelled the accession of over 500 princely states in the months following Independence in 1947 — a feat that defined the territorial shape of modern India. That legacy is why the Government of India in 2014 designated 31 October as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day), a permanent annual reminder of what national integration cost and what it means.
Why BJP leaders keep returning to Patel
The tribute is part of a consistent pattern: BJP-led governments at the Centre and in the states have made Patel's birth anniversary a flagship observance, framing his legacy as the philosophical cornerstone of national integration. For Fadnavis, leading a state as culturally and linguistically diverse as Maharashtra, the invocation carries particular resonance — Marathi pride and national unity are perennially live political themes. The annual observance typically includes unity runs, pledge ceremonies, and government events held across Maharashtra on 31 October.
The Iron Man built India once. The anniversary is a yearly wager that his example can keep building it.
Point of View
Undivided nationhood, strategically elevated over decades as a counter-narrative to rival political legacies. Posting bilingually in English and Marathi signals the CM's dual audience: a national party base and a regional electorate where Marathi identity politics are never far from the surface. The annual Rashtriya Ekta Diwas observance, institutionalised in 2014, has now become a reliable policy-communication moment for BJP leaders to reinforce the integration-and-strength plank ahead of any electoral cycle.
NationPress
31 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 31 October celebrated as National Unity Day in India?
31 October is the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel , India's first Deputy Prime Minister. The Government of India declared it Rashtriya Ekta Diwas in 2014 to honour his role in integrating over 500 princely states into the Indian Union after Independence.
What did Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel do for India?
As India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister , Sardar Patel negotiated and secured the accession of more than 500 princely states into the Indian Union following Independence in 1947 , defining the territorial map of modern India and earning him the title 'Iron Man of India'.
What did CM Devendra Fadnavis say on National Unity Day 2026?
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis paid tribute to Sardar Patel in both English and Marathi, calling him the 'architect of national unity and integrity' and urging citizens to uphold the unity, integrity and strength of India on his birth anniversary.
When was Rashtriya Ekta Diwas established?
The Government of India established Rashtriya Ekta Diwas in 2014 , designating 31 October — Sardar Patel's birth anniversary — as National Unity Day to promote national integration.
Who was Sardar Patel's role in independent India?
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister after Independence in 1947 . He is credited with integrating over 500 princely states into the Indian Union, a task completed in a remarkably short period.
