CM Nayab Saini Pays Tribute to Sardar Patel on Unity Day
Synopsis
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini honoured Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, 31 October, saluting the Iron Man's role in unifying India's 500-plus princely states and joining the national #RunForUnity observance.
Key Takeaways
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini posted a tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on 31 October 2026 , Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.
Patel served as India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister , integrating over 500 princely states after 1947.
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas was instituted by the Government of India in 2014 to mark Patel's birth anniversary.
The Run for Unity is an annual mass-participation running event held every 31 October to promote national integration.
CM Saini's post carried the #RunForUnity hashtag and the national flag emoji, aligning his tribute with the day's public events.
On Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, 31 October, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini joined the nation in honouring Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel — the architect who stitched more than 500 princely states into a single Indian Union — with a heartfelt salute on the occasion of the #RunForUnity.
Posting in Hindi, CM Saini wrote: 'Bharat ki ekta aur akhandta ke mahan shilpkar, Lauha Purush Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel ji ko naman' — 'Salutations to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the great architect of India's unity and integrity, the Iron Man.' The post carried the national flag emoji alongside the #RunForUnity hashtag, aligning his tribute with the annual mass-participation run that defines the day's public observance.
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas: Why 31 October Matters
The Government of India instituted Rashtriya Ekta Diwas — National Unity Day — in 2014, designating 31 October as an annual occasion to commemorate Patel's birth anniversary and reinforce the idea of national integration. The date is now anchored to the Run for Unity, a countrywide running event that draws participants from schools, colleges, defence establishments, and public offices across India, turning civic remembrance into physical solidarity.
The Iron Man's Enduring Legacy
As India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister after independence in 1947, Sardar Patel oversaw one of history's most remarkable feats of statecraft — persuading, and where necessary pressing, over 500 princely states to accede to the Indian Union. The title 'Lauha Purush', or Iron Man, reflects both his resolve and the scale of that achievement. His legacy remains a touchstone for conversations about sovereignty, federalism, and territorial integrity in Indian politics.
For BJP leaders, the annual tribute carries particular weight — the party has consistently positioned itself as the custodian of Patel's integrationist vision, and observances like today's double as moments of political identity as much as historical remembrance. CM Saini's post fits neatly within that pattern, channelling a figure whose stature transcends party lines even as different formations claim his mantle.
As crowds lace up for runs from Chandigarh to Chennai today, the message the Iron Man left behind — that unity is built, not assumed — remains as pointed as ever.
Point of View
With the BJP investing heavily in his iconography since the unveiling of the Statue of Unity in 2018. CM Saini's tribute, timed to Rashtriya Ekta Diwas — a day the BJP institutionalised in 2014 — reflects an ongoing effort to own the narrative of national integration. The #RunForUnity hashtag transforms a solemn anniversary into a participatory civic ritual, broadening the party's outreach beyond formal ceremonies. Patel's integrationist legacy also serves as an implicit counter-narrative to any discourse that questions territorial or federal cohesion, making the tribute politically layered even when ceremonially framed.
NationPress
31 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 31 October celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas?
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas , or National Unity Day, is observed on 31 October because it marks the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel . The Government of India instituted the day in 2014 to promote national integration and honour Patel's role in unifying India.
What is the Run for Unity?
The Run for Unity is an annual running event held on 31 October to commemorate Sardar Patel's birth anniversary and Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. Participants across India — from schools to defence establishments — take part to symbolise national solidarity.
Who was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel?
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister after independence in 1947 . Known as the Lauha Purush (Iron Man), he oversaw the integration of more than 500 princely states into the Indian Union.
What did CM Nayab Saini post on Rashtriya Ekta Diwas 2026?
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini posted a Hindi tribute on 31 October 2026 saluting Sardar Patel as the 'great architect of India's unity and integrity,' accompanied by the #RunForUnity hashtag and the Indian flag emoji.
When was Rashtriya Ekta Diwas started in India?
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas was instituted by the Government of India in 2014 to commemorate Sardar Patel's birth anniversary on 31 October every year.
