by: NavJeevan

Rashtriya Ekta Divas: Amit Shah pays glowing tributes to Sardar Patel in Kevadia

NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, OCT 31

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday paid glowing tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 146th birth anniversary at the Statue of Unity in Kevadia. On this occasion, a video message of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was broadcast.

Shah presided over the ‘Rashtriya Ekta Divas’ (National Unity Day) function at Kevadia where he also paid floral tribute to Sadar Patel’s 182-metre-tall statue.

In his address on the occasion,  Amit Shah said, “We are taking forward the tradition started by  Prime Minister Narendra Modi to celebrate the birthday of the country’s first Home Minister and ‘Iron Man’, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as National Unity Day. Today this National Unity Day also has a different significance because this year is the 75th year of our Independence. This National Unity Day, which comes during the festival to celebrate our 75th year of Independence, holds special significance for all of us because after independence, when the British had conspired to split the country, into India, Pakistan and more than 550 princely and there was a plan to divide the country, Sardar Sahab defeated those plans and he resolved to create a united India.”

Men’s hockey team captain, Olympian Manpreet Singh and other athletes also participated in the parade at Statue of Unity in Kevadia today.

On the occasion of the 75th year of India’s Independence, 75 cyclists from ITBP, SSB, CISF, CRPF and BSF, who have travelled approximately 9,000 km from various parts of the country to Kevadiya, have taken part in the event as per an official statement.

A total of 101 motorcyclists from police of the states of Tripura, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir and Gujarat, who have travelled from the East, South, North and West of the country to Kevadiya covering approximately 9,200 km were also part of the event.

Twenty-three medal winners in the Olympic Games, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, including Manpreet Singh, the captain of India’s Bronze winning Men’s Hockey team at the Tokyo Olympics will also be participating in the event.

National Unity Day is celebrated in India on October 31. It was introduced by the Central government in 2014. The day is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhai Patel who had a major role in the political integration of India.