Narendra Modi participates in 'Run for Unity' after flagging off event

New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday flagged off an enthusiasmfilled Run for Unity and himself briskly walked down Rajpath after paying rich tributes to free Indias first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai PatelModi led the nation in paying tributes to Sardar Patel on his 139th birth anniversary being commemorated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or National Unity Day and recalled his key role in unifying a newly independent IndiaNarendra ModiThe prime minister first paid floral tributes at the statue of Sardar Patel at Patel Chowk in the heart of New Delhi at 730 amHe later addressed thousands of people including school children college students sports persons and government officials gathered to participate in the Run for Unity at Vijay ChowkThe prime minister dressed in a white kurtachuridar with a red angvastra draped across his shoulder said that a country which forgets its history can never create history and that we should not divide historical legacy on the basis of ideologiesModi referred to Patels role in integrating princely states after India gained independenceHe said Mahatma Gandhi seems incomplete without Sardar Patel and they formed an unbreakable pairHe also referred to late prime minister Indira Gandhis assassination on this day in 1984 and in reference to the antiSikh riots that followed he said the incident 30 years ago had hurt the unity of the country for which Patel had strivenModi also made the people take a pledge to work for the countrys unity and integrityModi enthused the crowd with some catchy slogans on Indias unity among diversity Bhasha anek bhav ek rajya anek desh ek path anek lakshya ek boli anek swar ek rang anek tiranga ek samaj anek Bharat ek riwaj anek sanskar ek karya anek sankalp ek rah anek manzil ek chehre anek muskan ekThe people cheered clapped and chanted Modi Modi and Bharat Mata ki JaiThe prime minister then flagged off the run with a sea of enthusiastic supporters crowding around him with their mobiles held aloft trying to capture the moment as the he walked down Rajpath for some distanceEarlier Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu while addressing the crowd said as a child he was very inspired by Sardar Patel and in a reference to the previous Congress governments added that the country has not done justice by Patel by ignoring his contribution to the countrys unificationAttired in a white Tshirt white track pants and sports shoes Naidu later went jogging down Rajpath joined by ministerial colleagues and aidesHundreds of people who were waiting in the Central Vista grounds flanking Rajpath then swarmed on the road to join in the run many wearing Tshirts with the slogan Run for Unity inscribed on itWellknown sports people including Gautam Gambhir and Vijender Singh were also among the crowd and attracted a lot of attentionHundreds of senior school children enthusiastic college students security forces personnel including from the National Security Guard attired in black the Sashastra Seema Bal and government officials all took part in the short run that culminated at India Gate