Ekta Nagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the Statue of Unity in Gujarat on the 150th birth anniversary of India’s first Home Minister.
Since 2014, Patel’s birth anniversary on October 31 has been observed as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) to honour his role in unifying the nation.
Modi arrived at the 182-metre-tall statue near Ekta Nagar in Gujarat’s Narmada district early in the morning and offered flower petals to the Iron Man of India. He then proceeded to a nearby venue to administer the Ekta Diwas pledge and witness the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade.
This year’s celebrations include a cultural festival and a National Unity Day parade featuring contingents from paramilitary forces such as the BSF and CRPF, along with various state police units.
Adding to the significance, the parade is being organised on the lines of the Republic Day parade, making this year’s event particularly special.
