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National Unity Day: Modi pays tribute to Sardar Patel at Statue of Unity on 151st birth anniversary
India marked National Unity Day on 31 October, the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tributes at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar, President Droupadi Murmu at Patel Chowk in Delhi, and Amit Shah said Patel's legacy had been neglected.
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India observed National Unity Day, or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, on Saturday, 31 October, the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the country's first Home Minister. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tributes to Patel at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar, also known as Kevadia, in Gujarat. President Droupadi Murmu paid homage at the statue at Patel Chowk in New Delhi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Patel did not receive due recognition for a long time.
The tributes
Modi described Patel in a post on X as the architect of a united India and the Iron Man of the nation, according to the reports. He said Patel devoted his life to building a strong and prosperous India capable of facing every challenge, and that his sacrifice inspires the idea of a developed, self-reliant India. One report records the phrase as the architect of Akhand Bharat. Modi also urged young people to attend a special programme at Ekta Nagar on Saturday evening in large numbers.
In New Delhi, President Murmu offered floral tributes at Patel Chowk. Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan, Amit Shah, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Lok Sabha member Bansuri Swaraj attended the ceremony. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also paid tribute, calling Patel the architect of modern India and the Iron Man.
What Amit Shah said
Shah called Patel the architect of modern India and credited him with bringing the princely states together. He highlighted Patel's part in setting up the All India Services and his leadership of the Kheda and Bardoli Satyagrahas. He said Patel's example would inspire citizens towards One India, Great India.
Shah also said that Patel did not receive due recognition for a long time and alleged that the Congress tried to erase his legacy, adding that his contributions could not be removed from history. He credited Modi, as Chief Minister of Gujarat, with giving Patel's legacy new prominence, including through the Statue of Unity. The reports found do not carry a response from the Congress to these remarks.
Patel was born on 31 October 1875 in Nadiad, Gujarat, to Jhaverbhai Patel and Ladba Patel. He studied law at the Middle Temple in England and practised as a barrister in Ahmedabad. He served as Ahmedabad's sanitation commissioner in 1917 and became president of the Indian National Congress at its Karachi session in 1931. He took part in the Kheda Satyagraha, the Non-Cooperation Movement, the Bardoli Satyagraha and the Quit India Movement, and his leadership of the Bardoli farmers' agitation earned him the title Sardar.
After independence he became India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister in 1947, and he led the effort to integrate more than 560 princely states into the Indian Union, which earned him the title Iron Man of India. He died on 15 December 1950.
The government began observing his birth anniversary as National Unity Day in 2014, to raise awareness of the country's unity, integrity and security. Schools, colleges and government offices administer the National Unity pledge, and rallies, marches and cultural programmes are held, with an emphasis on youth participation. The University Grants Commission asked colleges and universities to hold Run for Unity events and pledge ceremonies.
The Statue of Unity in Kevadia was unveiled on 31 October 2018 and stands about 182 metres tall. This year's activities listed for the day include official parades at the statue, a rock band performance, an Indian Air Force flypast and public unity pledges. A cultural festival, Bharat Parv, is to be held in Gujarat from 1 to 15 November under the theme Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.
The government had planned a two-year nationwide celebration of Patel's 150th birth anniversary from 2024 to 2026, according to an earlier report. This year's activities listed for the 151st anniversary include official parades at the Statue of Unity, a rock band performance and an Indian Air Force flypast. The theme named for Bharat Parv is Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.
The reports found do not describe the evening programme at Ekta Nagar beyond Modi's call to young people, and they do not report any announcement made at the ceremony.
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