Jaipur, Oct 29 (IANS) Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Tuesday flagged off the 'Run For Unity' marathon here on the occasion of 'National Unity Day' and said Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel created a strong India by unifying the Indian princely states.

The Run for Unity marathon organised on Sardar Patel's birth anniversary reminds us of his incomparable courage and determination while giving the message of the importance of unity in diversity, the CM said.

CM Sharma said that to show the great personality of Sardar Patel, the Prime Minister has built the world's tallest statue, the Statue of Unity, in Gujarat.

"For the construction of this statue, people from all over the country, including Rajasthan, contributed by donating iron. This is not a statue, but a symbol of India's unity and integrity...," he said.

CM Sharma flagged off the 'Run for Unity - Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat' marathon at Amar Jawan Jyoti and made the people present there read the oath of National Unity Day.

He said that the way Sardar Patel united the country after Independence, the new generation should take inspiration from it and work dedicatedly for national unity.

The Chief Minister said that walking on the same path that Sardar Patel took to unite the country, Prime Minister Modi has worked to further strengthen the resolution of 'one country, one constitution and one flag' by ending Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir.

He said that on the initiative of the Prime Minister, Sardar Patel's birth anniversary is celebrated as the National Unity Day every year on October 31 with full passion and enthusiasm throughout India. This year, due to the Diwali festival on October 31, the Prime Minister had urged the countrymen to organise it on October 29.

It needs to be mentioned here that the Modi government has been observing October 31 as 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas' or National Unity Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Patel was born on October 31, 1875, at Nadiad in Gujarat. As India's first home minister and deputy prime minister, Patel is credited for the merger of over 550 princely states into the Union of India.

The government has been observing this day since 2014 to foster and reinforce its dedication to preserving and strengthening the unity, integrity and security of the nation.