Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday paid tribute to India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary and said he sacrificed his life for ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshth Bharat’.

Earlier, he also paid floral tributes to former PM Indira Gandhi who laid down her life for the unity and integrity of the nation and administered oath on the occasion.

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While addressing the people on the occasion, Thakur stated that Sardar Patel always wanted India to be strong, inclusive, alert, polite and developed.

The day is observed as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or National Unity Day since 2014 marking the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who is credited with uniting all the 562 princely states of the pre-independent country to build the Republic of India.

The CM said it was the PM Narendra Modi who decided to construct the Statue of Unity as a mark of respect to the colossal statue of Indian statesman and independence activist Sardar Patel.

The 182 meter world’s tallest statue was inaugurated by PM Modi on 31 October 2018 on the 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.

While remembering former PM Indira Gandhi on her 37th death anniversary celebrated as Rashtriya Sankalp Divas, he stated that she played a major role in maintaining the unity and integrity of the nation.

Thakur also appreciated the people of the state for strictly adhering to the SoPs of the State Government to help check spread of the Coronavirus.

He further said that Himachal had emerged as the first state in the country to achieve the target of cent per cent first dose administration of Covid vaccine.

And now was poised to achieve the target of cent per cent vaccination of eligible age groups by the end of November this year, he added.

He also administered Rashtriya Ekta Diwas pledge to the people on the occasion.

State Urban Development minister Suresh Bhardwaj, former HP assembly Speaker Radha Raman Shastri, Shimla Municipal Corporation mayor Satya Kaundal, Chairman HIMFED Ganesh Dutt, Chief Secretary Ram Subhag Singh, Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu were present on the occasion.