Iron for the iron man: Gujrat minister in city on collection drive

 

Bangalore: Come December 15, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the ‘Run for Unity' at Vadodara, to coincide with the death anniversary of the ‘Iron Man'— Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

By doing so, he will also be setting the pace for a nationwide marathon to be held simultaneously across 562 cities across India, said Gujarat Energy Minister Saurabh Patel, who led a delegation representing the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Rashtriya Ekta Trust (which is headed by Modi) to Bangalore on Thursday to campaign for Modi's dream project ‘Statue of Unity' — the world's tallest statue.

 

The delegation started its Karnataka campaign in the city and hopes to tour several districts including Mysore and Mangalore. "We appeal to people of Karnataka to join the Statue of Unity campaign as Patel was the man behind the formation of a united India. This statue will be a tribute to his towering personality and a symbol of unity and integrity. The  182-metre tall statue will be erected on a rocky island called Sadhubet in the middle of the Narmada riverbed facing Sardar Sarovar Dam at Kevadia.

 

The campaign includes the ‘Run for Unity' (across 562 cities including 28 in the State), essay competitions across 1.75 lakh schools and a drive to collect iron,” he said