Ekta Nagar (Gujarat) [India], October 31 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for various development projects worth over Rs 400 crore at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat on Saturday, as part of the celebrations marking the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on Saturday.
He will also participate in the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations, which will highlight India’s achievement in eliminating armed Naxalism in 2026 through a special parade featuring around 10,000 police and paramilitary personnel and nearly 4,700 artists.
The Prime Minister, who started his two-day visit to Gujarat on Friday attending various events, will begin the second day by offering floral tributes at the Statue of Unity followed by the inauguration and foundation stone-laying ceremony for the development projects. He will subsequently visit the Rain Forest and Vaman Vriksha Vatika in Ekta Nagar before participating in the main Rashtriya Ekta Diwas ceremony in the evening.
The celebrations have been envisioned with two key objectives– highlighting the extraordinary work being undertaken by police forces, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Central Police Organisations (CPOs), and inviting people from across the country to witness the celebrations and explore the surroundings of Ekta Nagar, home to the world’s tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
A major highlight of this year’s parade will be the celebration of the country’s achievement in ending armed Naxalism in 2026 through three distinct performances.
The parade contingents will include State Police forces and CAPFs that have been at the forefront of the country’s fight against armed Naxalism. As each contingent passes before the Prime Minister, short films highlighting their significant achievements will be displayed on multiple LED screens.
The National School of Drama (NSD) will present a special performance featuring around 2,000 artists drawn from 126 districts that had witnessed the menace of armed Naxalism. Through their performances, the artists will portray the struggles faced by people when armed Naxalism was rampant and their lives and properties remained under threat.
Around 5,000 people from these 126 districts have also been invited to witness the celebrations. Besides watching the performances, they will interact and recount their experiences of the period when armed Naxalism affected their regions.
The cultural programmes during this year’s celebrations will be centred on the theme of ‘Vande Mataram’, marking the 150th year of the national song. Several newly introduced features of the parade have been drawn from the theme.
A total of 15 tableaux will participate in the event, including a people’s tableau being showcased for the first time at Ekta Nagar.
Another major cultural presentation will bring together people from different states who have been living in Gujarat for generations and have made the state their home. Around 50 cultural elements representing their respective states of origin have been woven together into a presentation involving approximately 5,000 artists. The performance will showcase India’s cultural diversity and the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’.
The Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade will also feature police and paramilitary contingents, cultural troupes and musical bands, followed by an address by the PM. A nationwide bike rally against drug abuse will also form part of the planned celebrations.
Citizens, families, students and community groups from across the country have been invited to witness the event.
The Statue of Unity, standing at a height of 182 metres, is the world’s tallest statue and honours Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, popularly known as India’s ‘Iron Man’. Located in Ekta Nagar, the monument was dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 31, 2018.
The statue commemorates Patel’s contribution to India’s national integration, particularly his role in bringing together 562 princely states after Independence. Conceived under the leadership of the Prime Minister, the monument symbolises national unity as an enduring commitment.
The bronze-clad structure rises from a 58-metre base, with a viewing gallery at a height of 153 metres offering panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. The Satpura and Vindhya mountain ranges can be seen from the gallery, while the Narmada river flows below.
Designed to withstand high seismic activity and wind speeds of up to 180 km per hour, the structure combines reinforced concrete, steel framing and bronze cladding for long-term durability. Taller than a 60-storey building, the statue depicts Patel with one foot stepping forward, symbolising progress and determination.
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas is observed every year on October 31 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and recognise his contribution to the political integration of the country.
The celebrations at Ekta Nagar reaffirm India’s commitment to national unity, integrity and security, while showcasing the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’. (ANI)
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