National Unity Day – 31st October

National Unity Day or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas is celebrated on 31st October annually to pay tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel “Iron Man of India“. Unity is a feeling that is not based on religion, caste, or any discrimination, all countrymen share a common sense in it.

In October 2014, the Government of India had announced the birthday of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the freedom fighter, to be celebrated every year as ‘National Unity Day‘. It is noteworthy that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was born on 31 October 1875. The day was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 by laying a wreath at the statue of Sardar Patel and flagging off a program called ‘For Run for Unity‘ in New Delhi. The purpose of starting this event is to pay tribute to the great man, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary by remembering his extraordinary works for the country. He worked really hard to keep India united.

While presenting the official statement in 2014 the Home Minister of India said that the National Unity Day “will provide an opportunity to re-affirm the inherent strength and resilience of our nation to withstand the actual and potential threats to unity, integrity, and security of our country.”

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was India’s first deputy Prime Minister, he was a freedom fighter and later a politician who played a major role in the integration of India. He used strength and determination to bring together 500 princely states to accede to the independent Indian Union.

The ‘Statue of Unity’ that was sculpted in honor of Sardar Patel was inaugurated in Gujarat in 2018. This statue stands at a height of 182 meters and is the world tallest, twice the height of the Statue of Liberty and taller than the Spring Temple Buddha in China.

Important interesting facts about Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel:

Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel was a farmer by mind and nature. Despite this, he received higher education and became a successful lawyer.
Sardar Patel refused to pursue higher education in view of the financial condition of the family.
Despite being the most capable leader of the Congress party in Azad India, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel could not become Prime Minister. He became the Deputy Prime Minister.
This India, which is visible today, is a group of 565 local princely states. Sardar Patel integrated these princely states and created modern India.
The Nizam of Hyderabad and the Nawab of Junagadh refused to merge their princely states in India. Sardar Patel used his army, showing his intelligence. In the year 1948, the Nizam of Hyderabad agreed to involve himself in India.
Jawaharlal Nehru liked Western culture and Britishism. While Sardar Patel was away from the British.
Sardar Patel turned down the post of Prime Minister because he did not want to split the Congress Party.
Sardar Patel proved to be a god for the refugees.
If anyone deserved the Bharat Ratna, the highest honor of the country, that man was Sardar Patel. Sadly, this honor was awarded to him very late in 1991.
Sardar Patel wanted to keep the country safe. They also made policies for this.
Sardar Patel was an important member of the Indian Constituent Assembly, who played a major role in framing the Constitution of India.
Sardar Ballabh Bhai Patel was never against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Sardar Patel was a nationalist. The country was first for them. It was the greatness of his personality that he never worked for the post, but for the country.

The Statue of Unity, dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, is a memorial located in the Indian state of Gujarat, near the Narmada Dam, 3.2 km from Sadhu Bet near Vadodara. It is the tallest statue in the world, 54 meters higher than the spring temple Buddha. This statue-related structures are spread over 20000 square meters and are surrounded by an artificial lake spread over 12 km and its estimated cost is 29.8 billion. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on 31 October 2018 on his 143rd anniversary. The Centre government has instituted the ‘Sardar Patel National Unity Award’, the highest civilian award in the field of contribution to unity and integrity of India.

India is a land of diversity and unity is of prime importance in our country. We should support unity and inspire others to have it, as a nation exists only when there exists national unity among people.