Patna: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah today addressed a press conference in Patna, Bihar, regarding the celebration of the 150th birth anniversary year of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on the occasion of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas- 2025.
Addressing the press conference, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah said that Sardar Patel made an immense contribution in uniting the country after independence, building today’s India and creating a united country. He said that since 2014, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has been coming to Kevadia every year on October 31, where a grand parade is held in front of the magnificent statue of Sardar Patel. He added that this year, on the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel, a special event has been organized and the Ministry of Home Affairs has decided that a grand parade will take place every year on October 31.
Shri Amit Shah said that this parade is organized to honor all the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and the police forces of the states to reaffirm the unity and integrity of the nation. He said that the parade will be held in front of the statue of Sardar Patel, who symbolizes the unity and integrity of India.
Union Home Minister informed that this year, it has been decided to organize the Run for Unity on a much larger scale. The run is being conducted across all states, Union Territories, district police stations, schools and universities throughout the country. He further said that after the run, every citizen will also take Unity Pledge for the unity and integrity of the nation. Shri Shah said that on the occasion of Sardar Patel’s 150th birth anniversary, Bharat Parv is being organized at Ekta Nagar, from November 1 and will conclude on 15th November, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda. He said that Bharat Parv will culminate with a grand celebration of tribal culture and cultural programs on November 15. This program will showcase a wonderful synthesis of the cultural diversity, food, costumes, crafts, folk art and music of tribes from across the country.
Union Home Minister said that Sardar Patel is not just an individual but an ideology for our nation. He said that Sardar Patel was completely dedicated to the country, who not only played a leading role in the freedom struggle but also became the organizational backbone of the movement while working alongside Mahatma Gandhi. He said that the Bardoli Satyagraha of 1928 was launched against the British to protest the exploitation of farmers, and it was during this movement that Mahatma Gandhi himself bestowed upon him the title of “Sardar.” Shri Shah said that after India’s independence, the British decided to leave the country divided into 562 princely states. At that time, the entire world thought that it would be impossible to unite these 562 princely states into one nation. However, within a short span of time, Sardar Patel accomplished the monumental task of integrating all 562 princely states and the map of modern India that we see today is the result of his vision and efforts.
Union Home Minister added that Sardar Patel resolved one challenge after another — including the police action in Hyderabad and the integration of Junagadh. He further said that whether it was Bhopal, Kathiawar, Travancore, or Jodhpur, Sardar Patel addressed every issue with determination and even foiled Pakistan’s attempt to create a corridor through Indian territory.
Shri Amit Shah said that Sardar Patel was an exceptional example of a person who lived his entire life for the nation, without any desire for publicity or personal glory. He said that on 15 August 1947, while the entire country was celebrating independence and hoisting the national flag, Sardar Patel was in the command room with Naval officers, monitoring an operation that ensured that Lakshadweep became a part of India. He added that this operation strengthened India’s southern borders, and it was because of Sardar Patel’s foresight and action that the tricolor was hoisted in Lakshadweep.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that it is unfortunate that after Sardar Patel’s demise, the opposition left no stone unturned to erase his legacy. He said that even a great personality like Sardar Patel was awarded the Bharat Ratna after a delay of 41 years and this delay was solely due to the lack of regard the opposition had for Sardar Patel. He added that for a towering figure like Sardar Patel, neither a memorial nor a monument was built anywhere in the country. It was only when Shri Narendra Modi became the Chief Minister of Gujarat that he conceptualized the Statue of Unity and built a grand memorial in Sardar Patel’s honor. He further said that the foundation stone of the Statue of Unity was laid on October 31, 2013. The 182-meter-tall statue was completed in just 57 months. Shri Amit Shah said that Sardar Patel’s life was dedicated to farmers and the iron used to build this statue was collected from farmers’ tools across the country. He said that these tools were gathered and melted down to produce nearly 25,000 tonnes of iron used in the statue’s construction. Using 90,000 cubic meters of concrete and over 1,700 tonnes of bronze, this unforgettable monument was created, which has now become an iconic site for paying tribute to Sardar Patel. Shri Shah said that around 15,000 people visit the site every day and so far, over 2.5 crore visitors from India and abroad have visited it. He said that the Statue of Unity has emerged as a true marvel of Indian engineering. He further stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 14 additional tourist attractions have been developed around the Statue of Unity, transforming it into a major tourist destination. These include the Valley of Flowers, Ekta Nagar Township, Lake Circuit, Light and Sound Show, Patel Garden, Ekta Cruise, Butterfly Garden, Jungle Safari, Ekta Mall and the Glow Torch Viewpoint.
Shri Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will take the salute of the grand parade to be held on 31st October morning at Ekta Nagar. He said that during this national parade, the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and the police forces of several states will showcase their skills, discipline and bravery. He said that this year’s parade will also include five Shaurya Chakra awardees from the CRPF and sixteen gallantry medal winners from the BSF. The parade will be led by women police officers and feature a variety of cultural performances. He said that personnel from state police forces and CAPFs will also display their cultural talents. The BSF camel contingent and camel-mounted band will add grandeur to the parade, while the Gujarat cavalry contingent, Assam Police’s motorcycle daredevil show and Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir Police will also participate in the parade. In addition, the NSG, NDRF, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Police, Puducherry Police and Jammu and Kashmir Police will present their tableaux during the event. The highlight of the parade will be a spectacular air show by the Indian Air Force’s Surya Kiran team. Shri Shah said that over 900 artists from across the country will present India’s rich cultural heritage before the nation and the world. He emphasized that this parade will truly be a Parade of India’s Unity, embodying the spirit of “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat” in its truest sense.
Union Home Minister said that after the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel, this parade will be organized every year on October 31, similar to the Republic Day parade on January 26. He said that this parade will serve as a strong medium to inspire the youth of the nation and educate them about Sardar Patel’s principles and his immense contributions to the country. He further said that through this parade, all of us together should work towards creating a strong environment of unity and integrity in the country once again.