Commemorative
Postage Stamp on 'National Unity Day' of denomination of Rs. 10/-
released on the occasion of birthday of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
released on 31/10/2016 by Hon'ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra
Modi at New Delhi.
Rashtriya
Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) was introduced by the Government of India and inaugurated by
Indian Prime MinisterNarendra
Modi in 2014. The intent is to pay tribute to Vallabhbhai
Patel, who was instrumental in keeping India united. It is to be celebrated
on 31 October every year as annual commemoration of the birthday of the Iron
Man of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, one of the
founding leaders of Republic
of India. The official statement for Rashtriya Ekta Diwas by the Home Ministry of India cites
that the National Unity Day “will provide an opportunity to re-affirm the
inherent strength and resilience of our nation to withstand the actual and
potential threats to the unity, integrity and security of our country.”
National
Unity Day celebrates the birthday of Patel because, during his term as Home Minister of India, he is credited for
the integration of over 550 independent princely states into India from
1947-49 by Independence Act (1947). He is known as the “Bismarck[a] of
India”.
The
celebration is complemented with the speech of Prime Minister of India followed
by the "Run for Unity".[
The
theme for 2016 celebrations was "Integration of India".
