New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat’s Narmada district on Friday, where the ‘Statue of Unity’, the tallest figure of the country’s first home minister, stands.
This year’s Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations, which commemorate the birth anniversary of the ‘Iron Man of India’, will include a cultural festival and a ‘National Unity Day’ parade by security forces showcasing their skills, discipline, and valour, an official statement said.
“Rashtriya Ekta Diwas symbolises India’s unity, integrity and national solidarity. This year’s celebrations are particularly special, marking the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel,” the statement said.
The PM has urged citizens to join a ‘Run for Unity’ on October 31 to celebrate the occasion, which reminds countrymen of the pivotal role played by Patel in the formation of Independent India, laying the foundation of a modern nation, it said. The Modi government has been observing October 31 as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas since 2014 to foster and reinforce its dedication to preserving and strengthening the unity, integrity and security of the nation, the statement said.
Patel was born on October 31, 1875, in Nadiad, Gujarat.
Nestled between the Satpura and Vindhyachal mountain ranges, Ekta Nagar in Narmada district reflects the concept of ‘Unity in Diversity’, blending natural beauty with cultural richness, the statement said. This year’s ‘National Unity Day’ parade will include contingents from the Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Central Industrial Security Force. The parade will also feature a marching contingent comprising Indian breed dogs of the BSF.