Diwali 2024: PM Modi pays tribute to Sardar Patel in Gujarat, attends Unity Day parade

By Gargi Chaudhry | First Published Oct 31, 2024, 8:50 AM IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 149th birth anniversary at the Statue of Unity. The celebrations included an Ekta Diwas parade, cultural performances, and the inauguration of development projects worth over Rs 284 crore.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid floral tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 149th birth anniversary at the Statue of Unity in Gujarat. The Rashtriya Ekta Diwas festivities, which are held annually on October 31 to honor Patel's birth anniversary, are in full swing. PM Modi is in Gujarat for two days.

Modi paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel with flowers and took part in the Ekta Diwas festivities. He went on to administer the Ekta Diwas oath and watch the Ekta Diwas Parade, which would feature a marching band, four central armed police units, a union territory police, 16 marching contingents from nine states, and the National Cadet Corps.

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Among the highlights include the Indian Air Force's "Surya Kiran" flypast, the NSG Hell March contingent, a daredevil show by BSF and CRPF male and female bikers, a BSF exhibition of Indian martial arts, a schoolchildren's piped band performance, and more. Every year on October 31, Rashtriya Ekta Diwas is observed to honor Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth anniversary and to acknowledge his crucial contribution to the cause of Indian independence and national unity.

"My salutations to Bharat Ratna Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary. Protecting the unity and sovereignty of the nation was the top priority of his life. His personality and work will continue to inspire every generation of the country," PM Modi posted on X.

भारत रत्न सरदार वल्लभभाई पटेल की जन्म-जयंती पर उन्हें मेरा शत-शत नमन। राष्ट्र की एकता और संप्रभुता की रक्षा उनके जीवन की सर्वोच्च प्राथमिकता थी। उनका व्यक्तित्व और कृतित्व देश की हर पीढ़ी को प्रेरित करता रहेगा।

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) PM Modi's 2-day visit to Gujarat

During his two-day visit to Gujarat, Narendra Modi announced initiatives worth over Rs 284 crore and officially opened significant development projects in Kevadia on Wednesday. These initiatives seek to advance regional sustainability initiatives, increase accessibility, and improve the visitor experience. In addition to projects promoting tourism development, Modi opened new tourist and attraction centers that would enhance the Statue of Unity area's international standing and provide tourists with top-notch amenities in Ekta Nagar.

During his visit to Ekta Nagar on October 30, he also officially opened new initiatives, including as two intensive care units on wheels, a sub-district hospital, smart bus stops, and a 4 MW solar project.

With an investment of Rs 22 crore, the 50-bed sub-district hospital was constructed. According to a state government statement, it has a trauma center, a gynecological operating room, a minor operating room, a CT scan, an intensive care unit, a labor room, a special ward, a physiotherapy ward, a medical shop, and an ambulance.

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