Addressing a gathering before flagging off the 'Run for Unity' marathon from Delhi's Dhyan Chand National Stadium to pay tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on the occasion of his 144th birth anniversary, Shah said the credit goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who took the initiative to abrogate Article 370 and 35A from Jammu and Kashmir.
Noting that it took long 70 years to take that step ending special status to Jammu and Kashmir, Shah mentioned that Patel had managed to integrate over 550 princely states but Jammu and Kashmir had remained out.
"Article 370 had been the gateway for entry of terrorism in the country. By repealing the Article from Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister played a role to establish a gate on the gateway to stop terrorism," Shah said.
While remembering Patel, Shah also paid tributes to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who was assassinated on October 31, 1984.
Shah later flagged of the run from Major Dhyan Chand Stadium on National Unity Day.
'Run for Unity' is a marathon dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Thousands of people, including school children and ex-servicemen along with a number of senior citizens took part in the marathon.
Nearly 12,000 people, including 3,000 school children and 300 ex-servicemen along with a number of senior citizens, took part in the marathon last year in 2018.
The 144th birth anniversary of Patel is also promoted as 'National Unity Day' through a "Run for Unity" event.
This will be the first birth anniversary of Patel after India abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special powers to Kashmir. In rally after rally, BJP blamed First Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for this contentious Article, stating that had Kashmir been left for Patel to handle, Article 370 would not have come into existence.
( With inputs from IANS )