Giriraj Singh urges India to join Run for Unity on Patel Jayanti
Synopsis
Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh has called on Indians to participate in the Run for Unity on October 31, Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, marking the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and reinforcing the government's long-running emphasis on national integration through mass civic events.
Key Takeaways
Giriraj Singh posted the appeal on Sunday, October 25, 2026 , six days ahead of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas .
The Run for Unity is an annual mass-running event held every October 31 to mark Sardar Patel's birth anniversary.
October 31 was declared Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) by the Government of India in 2014 .
Sardar Patel, as India's first Deputy Prime Minister , oversaw the accession of more than 500 princely states into the Indian Union after 1947 .
Singh urged every citizen — jan jan — to join the event and spread the message of national unity.
Six days before Rashtriya Ekta Diwas on October 31, Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh called on every Indian to participate in the 'Run for Unity' — the annual mass-running event that marks the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the statesman widely remembered as the Iron Man of India.
Posting on Sunday, October 25, Singh wrote in Hindi: 'लौह पुरुष सरदार वल्लभभाई पटेल जी की जयंती पर आयोजित Run for Unity राष्ट्र की एकजुटता और सामूहिक संकल्प को सुदृढ़ करने का अवसर है।' — 'The Run for Unity organised on the birth anniversary of Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Ji is an opportunity to strengthen the nation's unity and collective resolve. Join this initiative and carry the message of national unity to every citizen.'
Patel's legacy and the birth of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas
As India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister after independence in 1947, Sardar Patel is credited with the accession of more than 500 princely states into the Indian Union — a feat of political consolidation unmatched in modern history. The sheer scale of that undertaking earned him the enduring title Loh Purush, the Iron Man.
In 2014, the Government of India formally declared October 31 — Patel's birth anniversary — as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day), institutionalising the commemoration and anchoring it with the Run for Unity as its signature citizen-participation event.
Run for Unity: a mass-participation ritual
The Run for Unity has since become one of the government's most visible annual civic mobilisation drives, drawing participants from schools, colleges, defence establishments, and local communities across the country. Its design is deliberate — a public act of collective movement that mirrors the idea of a nation moving together. Singh's appeal, addressed to jan jan (every person), is squarely in that spirit.
For a senior BJP leader and Lok Sabha MP from Begusarai, Bihar, the call also fits a broader pattern: since 2014, the central government has consistently foregrounded Patel as a symbol of strong central authority, territorial integrity, and post-independence consolidation — themes it seeks to keep in public consciousness through events exactly like this one.
With October 31 days away, the minister's post is an early nudge — a reminder that unity, in the government's framing, is not just a sentiment but a scheduled appointment on the national calendar.
Point of View
Decade-long political project: recasting Sardar Patel — a Congress-era giant — as the ideological anchor of the BJP-led government's unity narrative. By mobilising citizen participation through a mass physical event, the government converts an abstract value into a visible, repeatable civic ritual. For Singh, a senior voice from Bihar, the call also carries regional reach into a state where Patel's integrationist legacy resonates. Sustaining this symbolic calendar year after year is itself a form of soft political consolidation.
NationPress
25 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Run for Unity?
The Run for Unity is an annual mass-running event held on October 31 across India to mark Rashtriya Ekta Diwas , the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, promoting national integration and collective resolve.
When is Rashtriya Ekta Diwas observed?
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) is observed every year on October 31 , declared so by the Government of India in 2014 to commemorate Sardar Patel's birth anniversary.
Why is Sardar Patel called the Iron Man of India?
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel earned the title 'Iron Man of India' for overseeing the accession of more than 500 princely states into the Indian Union after independence in 1947 , as the country's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister.
Who is Giriraj Singh?
Giriraj Singh is a senior BJP leader, Union Minister of Textiles, and Lok Sabha MP from Begusarai, Bihar .
How can citizens participate in the Run for Unity?
Citizens can join the Run for Unity by registering through government or local administration portals, or by participating in organised runs at schools, colleges, and community venues on October 31 .
