'Iron man' Sardar Patel should have been nation's first PM: Naidu

New Delhi: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister, M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 140th birth anniversary and said that things would have been different in the nation, if the latter had been the first Prime Minister of India.

"I believe that had Sardar Patel been the first prime minister of the country, things would have been different. Whatever happened in the past is okay, but it is our duty to follow his ideals now and inspire others," Naidu said, while addressing the nation on the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel which has been referred as 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas'.

"We should follow the teaching and preaching's of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in our regular lives and inspire others to do the same. That is the purpose of 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas'. History has not done justice to Sardar Patel and it is our duty to make sure that his memory is remembered forever. He was the one who united the whole nation and brought those provinces together," he added.

Later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off 'Run For Unity' march at Rajpath on this morning to mark the 140th birth anniversary of the 'Iron man'.

Earlier, the Prime Minister had offered floral tributes at Sardar Patel statue on Parliament Street along with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Naidu.