National Unity Day: Indian hockey team, athletes participate in parade at Statue of Unity

October 31 is being celebrated as the ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’ (National Unity Day) to mark the occasion of the 146th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. On the special occasion, Indian men's hockey team captain Manpreet Singh and other athletes participated in a parade held at the Statue of Unity, Kevadia. Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended the event and paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

The Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations are now underway at the Statue of Unity, Kevadia in Gujarat’s Narmada district. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also set to address the gathering via video conference. A group of athletes led by Indian men's hockey team captain and Olympian Manpreet Singh took part in the parade and was greeted by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. During the event, various other dignitaries also took part and watched as the parade happened.

During the ceremonial parade, 75 cyclists from ITBP, SSB, CISF, CRPF and BSF who have travelled around 9,000 kilometres from various parts of the country and 101 motorcyclists from the police forces of Tripura, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir and Gujarat who have travelled to Kevadia after covering around 9,200 km also took part. Apart from the captain of the Olympic bronze-winning men's hockey team, the parade also included Twenty-three Olympic, Asian and Commonwealth Games medal winners. A joint band of ITBP and Gujarat police also joined the cultural event in which various art forms, martial art and daredevil stunts were displayed.

Leaders pay tribute to Sardar Patel on National Unity Day

Since 2014, October 31 is observed as National Unity Day across the country. The ceremony began at 8 am, near the 182-metre-tall statue dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Home Minister's office informed in a tweet. Speaking at the event, Shah said that the day was of great importance for the country. “National Unity Day has unique importance. Today's #NationalUnityDay is a day of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav...After independence, while leaving, Britishers had conspired to divide into several pieces. #SardarPatel foiled that conspiracy & resolved to make 'Akhand Bharat', (sic)” Home Minister Shah was quoted by ANI as saying.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari also paid his tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on National Unity Day. Taking to his official Twitter handle earlier in the day, Nitin Gadkari wrote in Hindi, “Humble tributes to a symbol of determination, strong will and the architect of modern India, Bharat Ratna awardee, Iron Man of India, Shri Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel ji, on his birth anniversary. Happy National Unity Day to all. #RashtriyaEktaDiwas #SardarVallabhbhaiPatel #NationalUnityDay”.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri called Patel a stalwart of India’s freedom struggle. “I join the nation in paying tribute to the Iron Man and towering architect of independent India, Bharat Ratna Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Ji. A stalwart of India’s freedom struggle, he laid the foundation of a vibrant and united India. His will and resolve continue to inspire generations,” Puri tweeted.

(Image: PTI/ANI)