Rashtriya Ekta Diwas: Modi leads pledge, honours Patel

Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat on 31 October 2026, marking Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 151st birth anniversary. The Prime Minister’s Office said he addressed an evening ceremony featuring a National Unity Parade dedicated to police and security forces, with tableaux presenting India’s heritage and aspirations.

Modi also led the National Unity Pledge at the Parade Ground in Narmada district, Gujarat Samachar reported. Participants repeated the pledge to preserve national unity and integrity, linking the ceremony to Patel’s role in bringing princely states into the Indian Union after Independence.

Earlier in the day, Modi paid floral tributes at the Statue of Unity and inaugurated or laid foundation stones for 31 tourism and infrastructure projects with a combined value of Rs 426.71 crore, according to Gujarat Samachar. The newspaper reported that he also visited the Rain Forest and Vaman Vriksha Vatika attractions in Ekta Nagar.

Evening parade brings police and cultural groups together

The Prime Minister’s Office said Modi highlighted the move from the traditional morning schedule to an evening ceremony. He referred to the previous evening’s showcase at the Bharat Parv Pavilion and participation in the morning’s Run for Unity, presenting both as examples of public involvement beyond the formal parade.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s advisory to private satellite television channels had scheduled the Parade Ground events from 17:30 to 19:40 hours. It separately listed a morning floral tribute by the Prime Minister at the Statue of Unity, followed by project inaugurations and foundation-stone ceremonies.

Gujarat Samachar reported that the Ekta Parade featured 16 marching contingents from nine states and one Union Territory, alongside four Central Armed Police Forces, the National Cadet Corps and a marching band. The Central Armed Police Forces are referred to as CAPFs in the event accounts.

The newspaper described motorcycle displays by male and female personnel of the Border Security Force and Central Reserve Police Force, along with demonstrations of Indian martial arts by the Border Security Force. It also reported a ceremonial presentation of the flags of different police forces.

Cultural performances and tableaux followed the theme of “Vande Mataram”, marking 150 years of the national song, according to Gujarat Samachar. The newspaper said the tableaux used concepts submitted by citizens through national-level and Gujarat-level competitions, rather than relying on the conventional practice of designs prepared by government departments and state governments.

Patel’s legacy anchors the address

Modi credited Patel with shaping India’s geographical and political form, according to the Prime Minister’s Office. He described the integration of princely states as both a territorial achievement and an effort to build an emotional bond across a diverse country.

“After independence, he united more than 550 princely states and wove this nation into the thread of unity with iron determination,” Modi said, according to the official account of his address.

The Prime Minister argued that Patel understood diversity as a foundation of national unity rather than an obstacle to it. He also distinguished the purposes of Independence Day, Republic Day and Unity Day: the ability to shape the country’s future, decision-making within constitutional limits, and the strength to advance together.

Gujarat Samachar identified Patel as independent India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. The newspaper noted that Rashtriya Ekta Diwas is observed annually on 31 October to commemorate his birth anniversary, with Ekta Nagar serving as a focal point for the celebrations.

Modi also connected Patel’s legacy with the reconstruction of the Somnath Temple in Gujarat, the Prime Minister’s Office said. He described that work as part of a cultural resurgence and said the reconstruction’s 75th anniversary was being marked this year.

Development and security feature in the programme

The celebrations also presented the government’s position on regions affected by Left-Wing Extremism. The Prime Minister’s Office said Modi welcomed families from formerly Naxal-affected areas as special guests and spoke of expanding roads, mobile networks, schools and healthcare facilities in those regions.

Those descriptions formed part of the Prime Minister’s account of the government’s achievements. He said opportunities for education and employment were opening up for young people in the affected areas.

Gujarat Samachar reported that a National School of Drama theatrical presentation, “Naxal Mukt Bharat”, brought together around 2,000 artistes from 126 districts that had experienced armed Naxalism. The newspaper said the performance portrayed communities’ difficulties and their transition towards peace and development.

In his address, Modi also identified securing India’s borders and advancing towards a Secular Civil Code among the government’s priorities, according to the Prime Minister’s Office. He linked those objectives to the stated goal of building a strong and developed India by 2047.

Broadcast advisory includes sign-language access

For audiences watching remotely, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s advisory listed live coverage across the Doordarshan network, including DD National, DD Bharati, DD Urdu, DD Kisan and regional channels. It also provided for streaming through the participating networks’ official YouTube channels.

The ministry specified that DD Bharati would carry sign-language interpretation. Its advisory invited private satellite television channels to use Doordarshan’s signals, including the interpreted feed, to make the celebrations accessible to viewers with disabilities.