Mera Saansad
Search Search
English language

Let's Run for Unity, Let's run for India

Published By : Admin | December 11, 2013 | 18:10 IST
"The world’s largest ever run, the run for unity, inaugurates the statue of unity movement on the punyatithi of Sardar Patel"

15th Dec, 2013: The day that marks the 63rd Punyatithi (death anniversary) of Sardar Patel, sees history unfold again through the “Run for Unity.” This unprecedented event will witness more than 30 lakh people participating in a run in over 1100 locations across India. The historic run will unite the country in paying a fitting tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Iron Man of India, who united 565 princely states to give India her present identity.

The Run for Unity will be the largest mass run/walk of its kind in the world. The previous world record was a participation of 1.2 lakh, however, the Run for Unity will beat this record more than twenty fold. Men and women, young and old, celebrities and civilians alike will wear a common unity scarf to mark their participation in this historic event. Participants will be free to run or walk over a 2km route.

The event will be flagged off from Vadodara by Shri Narendra Modi at 8:00 am. People all over the country will be able to witness this momentous inaugural event via live streaming on the Run for Unity website, www.runforunity.com. Similar runs will occur in hundreds of other locations across the length and breadth of the country, from Kargil to Kanyakumari, from Dwarka to Itanagar. The event was earlier planned for only 565 locations, symbolic of the 565 princely states that Sardar united. However, enthusiastic response from volunteers and participants boosted this number to over 1100 locations.

 

Several important leaders of the country will champion the event on the 15th of December in various locations across India. To highlight a few - Shri. Lal Krishna Advani will lead the event in Gujarat, Shri. Rajnath Singh in Uttarakhand, Shri. Sushma Swaraj in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, Shri. Arun Jaitley in Delhi, Shri. Venkaiah Naidu in Mumbai, Maharashtra and Shri. Nitin Gadkari in Nagpur, Maharashtra.

Conceptualized by the Citizens for Accountable Governance (CAG), the National Movement Partner of Statue of Unity, and organized along with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Rashtriya Ekta Trust (SVPRET), the run is supported by a host of Gujarat Government officials, civil society organizations and faith based organizations all over India.

The Run for Unity will be the curtain raiser to the Statue of Unity Movement, the largest country-wide drive to honour the memory of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The movement aims to revive and reinforce Sardar Patel’s values of unity, good governance and grassroot development. Promoting the concept of
‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat,’ the Statue of Unity movement encompasses the following activities:

  • Run for Unity (RFU): A 2km run/walk in more than 1100 locations in the country on 15th December
  • Write for Unity (WFU): A slogan/Essay competition on Sardar Patel and his ideals of unity and good governance in 1.67 Lakh secondary and senior secondary school across the country in the months of December and January
  • Photo Collage: A photo collage of elected representatives at grassroots level from over 2.5 Lakh governing bodies (Gram Panchayats and Wards). This will be showcased in a museum inside the statue complex
  • Locality Meeting: 1.)Collection of about 700 tons of used farm iron tools from over 5 lakh villages, 2.) Collection of soil samples from all villages panchayats and 3.) Getting signatures of more than 2 crore people on the ‘Suraaj Petition’ (good governance petition) in support of a better India

 

The Statue of Unity is an initiative of the Government of Gujarat designed to pay tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel by erecting the world’s tallest statue (182 m) in his honour. Executed under the aegis of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Rashtriya Ekta Trust (SVPRET), the Statue of Unity will not only be an architectural marvel, but a monument of national significance. It will be a proud symbol of the unity of India to the entire world for generations to come.

Login or Register to add your comment
Explore More
Blood of every Indian is on the boil: PM Modi in Mann Ki Baat

Popular Speeches

Blood of every Indian is on the boil: PM Modi in Mann Ki Baat
View All
M Venkaiah Naidu on the Emergency: That dark day

Media Coverage

M Venkaiah Naidu on the Emergency: That dark day
View All
NM on the go

Nm on the go

Always be the first to hear from the PM. Get the App Now!
Download App
...
Prime Minister pays tribute to defenders of Democracy on Samvidhan Hatya Diwas
June 25, 2025
Anti-Emergency movement reaffirmed the vitality of preserving our democratic framework: PM

On the solemn occasion marking fifty years since the imposition of the Emergency, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today paid heartfelt tributes to the countless Indians who stood tall in defence of democracy during one of the darkest chapters in the nation’s history.

Recalling the grave assault on constitutional values, the Prime Minister said that June 25th is observed as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas — a day when fundamental rights were suspended, press freedom extinguished, and countless political leaders, social workers, students, and ordinary citizens were imprisoned.

Shri Modi also reiterated the commitment to strengthen the principles in our Constitution and working together to realise our vision of a Viksit Bharat.

He further remarked that the anti-Emergency movement was a learning experience, which reaffirmed the vitality of preserving our democratic framework.

Shri Modi called upon all those who remember those dark days of the Emergency or those whose families suffered during that time to share their experiences on social media to create awareness among the youth of the shameful time from 1975 to 1977.

In a series of posts on X, he wrote:

“Today marks fifty years since one of the darkest chapters in India’s democratic history, the imposition of the Emergency. The people of India mark this day as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas. On this day, the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution were set aside, fundamental rights were suspended, press freedom was extinguished and several political leaders, social workers, students and ordinary citizens were jailed. It was as if the Congress Government in power at that time placed democracy under arrest! #SamvidhanHatyaDiwas”

“No Indian will ever forget the manner in which the spirit of our Constitution was violated, the voice of Parliament muzzled and attempts were made to control the courts. The 42nd Amendment is a prime example of their shenanigans. The poor, marginalised and downtrodden were particularly targeted, including their dignity insulted. #SamvidhanHatyaDiwas”

“We salute every person who stood firm in the fight against the Emergency! These were the people from all over India, from all walks of life, from diverse ideologies who worked closely with each other with one aim: to protect India’s democratic fabric and to preserve the ideals for which our freedom fighters devoted their lives. It was their collective struggle that ensured that the then Congress Government had to restore democracy and call for fresh elections, which they badly lost. #SamvidhanHatyaDiwas”

“We also reiterate our commitment to strengthening the principles in our Constitution and working together to realise our vision of a Viksit Bharat. May we scale new heights of progress and fulfil the dreams of the poor and downtrodden. #SamvidhanHatyaDiwas”

“When the Emergency was imposed, I was a young RSS Pracharak. The anti-Emergency movement was a learning experience for me. It reaffirmed the vitality of preserving our democratic framework. At the same time, I got to learn so much from people across the political spectrum. I am glad that BlueKraft Digital Foundation has compiled some of those experiences in the form of a book, whose foreword has been penned by Shri HD Deve Gowda Ji, himself a stalwart of the anti-Emergency movement.

@BlueKraft

@H_D_Devegowda

#SamvidhanHatyaDiwas”

“‘The Emergency Diaries’ chronicles my journey during the Emergency years. It brought back many memories from that time.

I call upon all those who remember those dark days of the Emergency or those whose families suffered during that time to share their experiences on social media. It will create awareness among the youth of the shameful time from 1975 to 1977.

#SamvidhanHatyaDiwas”