Omkar Dattatray
The country has celebrated the national unity day on October 31, 2013 with great enthusiasm and fanfare. It is the occasion on which people remember Sardar Patel as it is his birth anniversary and it was Patel-the iron man of India who is credited with the integration and merger of more than 500 princely states with India. Thus rightly the birth anniversary of this great leader and first home minister is celebrated as the national unity day and it is because of this unity in diversity that India is considered as a great nation. It is our moral and constitutional duty and responsibility to uphold the national unity of India and for this we should take required steps so that all the states and union territories are kept as inseparable parts of the country even with the principle of federal structure as India is a state which is unitary in character and federal in spirit and all of its people should endeavor to uphold and strengthen the national unity and the national unity day is celebrated by us with this aim in mind. On this day people take pledge and resolve to uphold and further national unity as it is the need of India and is also the need of hour. All the citizens belonging to various religions, castes, classes and regions are equal and there is no distinction between them. As per the Indian constitution and various laws, all the citizens are equal and have equal opportunity for development and therefore there is no distinction between them so far as the claim on the national and natural resources is concerned. All regions and languages are sacrosanct and are equal scope for development and therefore all regions and all languages are important means for information and transmitting knowledge and there is no distinction between them. Citizens belonging to different religious faiths, sects and castes and regions are equal players in the development of the nation. There is unity in diversity and all of us should try to make sincere efforts to maintain national unity, communal harmony and national cohesion. For maintaining national unity, it is all the more important and necessary that all citizens are given equal treatment and the hard fact is that all the citizens belonging to various faiths have equal opportunity of development so that all feel honored and dignified. All the citizens are duty bound to uphold the national unity, pluralism and secularism as these finer attributes and doctrines are enunciated in the constitution. All the people are the sons and daughters of mother India and all of us should take pride that we are Indians first and foremost and secondary we are Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhits etc. We should discourage hatred and communal disharmony and condemn all acts which lead to disintegration in the country .We have achieved freedom from the British yoke after great sacrifices of the freedom fighters and national heroes and thus it is the bounded duty of all of us to safeguard and protect the much valued freedom. All the people are equal and there is no distinction between the citizens belonging to various faiths, religions, regions and languages. There is great need to further national unity, national integration and national cohesion and Sardar Patel is our torch bearer and guiding force as well as the great inspiration and all the citizens should follow the path of unity shown by the iron man of India. We should emulate and follow the ideals of Sardar Patel in letter and spirit to further the much needed unity and communal amity .Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or National Unity Day is celebrated on October 31 every year in the memory of Sardar Vallabhbhi Patel ,the first Home minister of the country ,affectionately known as the Iron Man of India .Rashtriya Ekta Diwas is celebrated across the country on the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel to honor his contributions to unifying India after independence .The Rashtriya Ekta Diwas was established by the central government in 2014.The main aim of this event is to pay homage to Sardar Patel for his remarkable efforts in integrating India after independence by integrating all princely states .In 2014 Prime minister Narendra Modi led the celebrations of the first National Unity Day with the Run for Unity programme in Delhi. The National Unity Day has its special significance as it affirms the inner strength and fortitude of the nation ,reminding citizens about unity ,integrity and security .Rashtriya Ekta Diwas is celebrated with enthusiasm in most public and private institutions ,schools and colleges across the country .In 2019,PM Modi attended an event on National Unity Day at the Statue of Unity in Gujarat .The National Unity march was also organized on the occasion .In addition National Unity Day provides an avenue for rewarding those who have contributed to the unity of the country and national integration .The Sardar Patel National Unity Award ,the highest civilian award in the field of contribution to the unity and integrity of India ,was established by the central government .The awardees are conferred with this prestigious award on October 31 every year .Apart from this ,schools and collages actively participate in the National Unity Day by hosting a range of cultural activities with the overarching theme of fostering unity .The observance of National Unity Day not only pays homage to a significant historical figure but also serves as a reminder of the importance of unity and integrity in the diverse and culturally rich nation like India .On this important and auspicious occasion besides remembering Sardar Patel and his contribution in unifying India after independence ,we should solemnly resolve to uphold ,strengthen and further national unity and integrity by bridging the differences if any between the different communities, castes ,regions and sects so that communal amity and mutual brotherhood is maintained which gives strength to the country. .The best tribute to Sardar Patel on his birth anniversary is that we should resolve to uphold national unity ,integrity ,security and pluralism and secularism which represents the very idea of India .Let us dedicate ourselves for the right cause of maintaining and furthering national unity at all costs and in this lies the good of the country.
(The author is a columnist, social and KP activist).
