Ekta Diwas celebrations mark national unity and Sardar Patel’s enduring legacy
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the Statue of Unity in Gujarat’s Narmada district, marking the 150th birth anniversary of India’s first home minister. The occasion, celebrated annually as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day), honours Patel’s pivotal role in unifying the nation.
Arriving early at the 182-metre-tall Statue of Unity near Ekta Nagar, PM Modi offered flower petals at the feet of the Iron Man of India. Following the tribute, he proceeded to a nearby venue to administer the Ekta Diwas Pledge and witness the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Parade.
This year’s celebrations have been expanded into a grand national event featuring a cultural festival and a Unity Parade, organised on the lines of the Republic Day parade.
The parade includes contingents from the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and various state police forces, symbolising India’s unity and security apparatus.
Since 2014, when PM Modi first took office, October 31 has been celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas to commemorate Sardar Patel’s contribution to the integration of India’s princely states post-Independence.
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