SHIMLA, Oct. 31 -- CHIEF Minister Jai Ram Thakur, while paying floral tributes to first Union Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in the Secretariat complex here on Thursday on his 144th birth anniversary celebrated throughout the country as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day), said that this day provides an opportunity to reaffirm the inherent strength and resilience of our nation to withstand the actual and potential threats to the unity, integrity and security of the country.
Jai Ram Thakur said that it was because of Sardar Patel that today India stands united as he did the almost impossible task of merging about 562 princely states after India attained freedom.
He said that Sardar Patel also did the task of forging a united ...