Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday efforts were made to erase and undermine Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's enormous contribution to the country and he was deprived of Bharat Ratna for a long time.

Flagging off 'Run for Unity' here ahead of the birth anniversary of Patel, the minister said it was due to the foresightedness and acumen of the country's first home minister that over 550 princely states were merged with the Union of India and the country became united.

He said it was because of Sardar Patel that the Lakshadweep Islands, Junagarh, Hyderabad and all other princely states were merged with India.

"But there were efforts to erase and undermine the enormous contribution of Sardar Patel to the country. He was also deprived of Bharat Ratna for a long time," Shah said while addressing participants at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi installed the tallest statue of Patel in Kevadia, honoured him in a befitting manner and has kept his memory alive, he said.

Modi inaugurated Patel's 182-metre statue - Statue of Unity - at Kevadia in Gujarat in 2018. He laid the foundation stone for the project in 2013 when he was the Gujarat chief minister.

Shah said Sardar Patel's vision, ideas and message in every field have been given a concrete shape by Prime Minister Modi.

Sardar Patel was bestowed with Bharat Ratna -- the country's highest civilian award -- posthumously in 1991, 41 years after his death in 1950.

Shah said the people of the country are now united and have dedicated themselves to fulfilling the prime minister's dream of turning India into a fully developed nation by 2047.

"The prime minister has put forth before all countrymen the pledge to build a fully developed India by 2047, which would be at the top of the ladder in every field in the world," he said.

He said now India stands before the world as a flourishing, developing and strong nation.

The home minister said India stands strong before the world on the path of becoming the leader in every field, and its foundation was laid by Sardar Patel.  "The great ideas of Sardar Patel will definitely become a guiding light for the young generation of the country," he said.

Shah called upon citizens to take a pledge to strengthen the unity of India through the 'Run for Unity' and to realise the dream of a fully developed India by 2047.

The home minister said the 'Run for Unity' is normally organised on October 31, the birth anniversary of Patel. But this year, it was organised two days ahead as Deepawali is falling on that day, he said.  "Today is Dhanteras and we are organising the run on this auspicious occasion," the home minister said.

The Modi government has been observing October 31 as 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas' or National Unity Day since 2014 to foster and reinforce its dedication to preserving and strengthening the unity, integrity and security of the nation.

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.

Various programmes, recalling Sardar Patel's contribution to unifying India, are being organised as part of the National Unity Day celebrations.

Last week, Shah announced that the government would commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel with a two-year-long nationwide programme from 2024 to 2026 to honour his monumental contribution to the country.