Rashtriya Ekta Diwas: Pledge taking ceremonies held across Jammu

Rich tributes were paid to the country's first deputy prime minister and home minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, on his birth anniversary amid holding of an 'Ekta pledge' across the Jammu division, officials said.

The day is celebrated as 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas' (National Unity Day) to commemorate the great contribution of India's 'Iron Man' towards integration and unity of the country in the post-Independence era.

Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Raghav Langer, paid rich tributes to Patel and administered the unity pledge to officials at a function here.

Similar functions were held in all the 10 districts of the Jammu division and the unity pledge was administered by deputy commissioners, officials said, adding that motorcycle rallies and unity runs were also held to mark the day.

A police spokesperson said the National Unity day was celebrated across Jammu zone with the main function held at the police headquarters' Gulshan Ground in Jammu where Additional Director General of Police, Jammu, Mukesh Singh administered the oath to police officers and jawans.

Singh took the salute of contingents of Jammu Police, Armed Police, CRPF and SDRF at a march past presented by them, the spokesperson said, adding that the ADGP urged all to take the pledge for internal security, integrity, and sovereignty of the country. "This day is not only for men in uniform but for every single individual to contribute to the unity and integrity of the country," he said. The BSF Jammu also observed the 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas' at its frontier headquarters here, where Inspector General D K Boora took the salute at an impressive march past. "BSF is always committed to maintain the sanctity of borders of this country," Boora said.

A BSF spokesman said the march past was part of a series of events which were organised to mark the birth anniversary of Patel. All the battalions and sector headquarters also organised Rashtriya Ekta Diwas programmes at their respective locations, he said. A CRPF spokesperson said all Jammu-based CRPF units and establishments celebrated the national unity day with enthusiasm. At the CRPF Group Centre, Jammu, under the 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat', a 'run and walk' programme was organised and a national unity pledge was administered by Inspector General, Jammu, P S Ranpise, who also took the salute at a march past, he said. The Jammu and Kashmir BJP organised 'run for unity', to mark the birthday of Patel, from Gandhi Nagar to Bahu Plaza in the city. BJP general secretary and in-charge Jammu and Kashmir Tarun Chugh along with Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina and other senior leaders joined hundreds of party workers in the run. Chugh said the party is celebrating Patel's birthday every year in recognition of his contribution to the freedom struggle and post-independence days. "Patel was denied due respect for decades together due to the reasons best known to those at the helm of affairs at that time. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi is very particular about remembering the great contribution of Patel," he said. Chugh claimed that Patel could have handled affairs in Jammu and Kashmir affairs in a better way if allowed by the then Prime Minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru. "Due to the wrong policies of Nehru, Jammu and Kashmir including Ladakh had to suffer for seven decades," he said.

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