PM addresses the Nation on Rashtriya Ekta Diwas

What is the News?

The Prime Minister has addressed the nation on the occasion of National Unity Day also known as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. He also paid rich tribute to Sardar Patel who dedicate his life for the ideal of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat’.

What is National Unity Day?

National Unity Day is celebrated every year on 31st October to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

The day was celebrated for the first time in 2014.

In 2018, the Government unveiled the ‘Statue of Unity’ in Gujarat in the honour of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. It is the tallest statue in the world. In 2020, Statue of Unity has also been included in the 8 wonders of Shanghai Cooperation Organization(SCO).

Who is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel?

Sardar Vallabhai Patel was the first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of India. 

He is known as the “Iron Man of India” for playing an important role in unification and integration of Indian princely states into the Indian Union.

He is also remembered as the “patron saint of India’s civil servants” for having established the modern All India Services system. 

Click Here to Read more about Sardar Patel

What is Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Initiative?

“Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” Initiative was announced by the Prime Minister in 2015.

Aim: To enhance interaction & promote mutual understanding between people of different states/UTs through the concept of state/UT pairing.

For example, Andhra Pradesh is paired with Punjab. During this period, people from Punjab would attempt to learn keywords in Telugu and Andhra would hold food festivals offering Punjabi dishes among others.

Source: This post is based on the article “PM addresses the Nation on Rashtriya Ekta Diwas” published in “PIB” on 31st October 2021.