Kevadia: Referring to the pledge of moving forward and abandoning the mentality of slavery, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 31 said that “India is growing as well as preserving its heritage.”
PM Modi participated in Rashtriya Ekta Diwas-related celebrations in Kevadia in Gujarat after paying homage to Sardar Patel at the Statue of Unity on his birth anniversary.
In his address to the gathering after witnessing the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Parade, the Prime Minister mentioned the removal of colonial insignia from the Navy Flag, weeding out unnecessary laws from colonial times, the Indian Penal Code being replaced, and the Netaji statue adorning India Gate, replacing colonial representatives.
Removal of the slavery symbol
“India has removed the slavery symbol from its naval flag. Unnecessary laws made during the era of slavery are also being removed. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has replaced IPC. Where once there was a statue of a representative of a foreign power at India Gate, now the statue of Netaji Subhash is inspiring us,” PM Modi said in Ekta Nagar, formerly known as Kevadia.
Asserting that Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) is the symbol of new India, PM Modi said that crores of citizens are connected with the celebrations of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas by taking part in the ‘Run for Unity’ and other cultural programmes all over the country.
“The ideals of Sardar Saheb form the core of 140 crore citizens who get together to celebrate the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat”, the Prime Minister said as he paid homage to Sardar Patel and congratulated the citizens for Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.
Patel’s contribution to one Bharat
“The people coming to Ekta Nagar not only get to see this grand statue but also get a glimpse of Sardar Saheb’s life, sacrifice and his contribution to building one Bharat. The story of the construction of this statue itself reflects the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat – Shrestha Bharat’,” PM Modi said.
“Lakhs of people are participating in ‘Run for Unity’ across the country. Lakhs of people are taking part in it through cultural programmes. When we see this flow of unity among 140 crore Indians, it seems as if the ideals of Sardar Saheb are running within us in the form of the resolve of ‘Ek Bharat-Shrestha Bharat,” the PM added.
India’s G20 Summit
He further said that the whole world is watching India; today, India is at a new peak of achievements.
“The world has been surprised to see India’s potential in the G20 Summit. We are proud that our borders remain safe amidst many global crises. We are proud that in the next few years, we are going to become the third-largest economy in the world,” he added.
The Prime Minister further said that today, we are proud that India has reached that part of the Moon that no other country in the world has been able to reach.
“We are proud that today India has reached that part of the Moon where no other country in the world has been able to reach. We are proud that today India is manufacturing everything from Tejas fighter planes to INS Vikrant itself. We are proud that today in India, our professionals are running and leading the billion-dollar companies of the world. We are proud that today the glory of the tricolor is continuously increasing in big sports events of the world. We are proud that our youth are breaking records, winning medals,” he added.
Emphasising making India a developed country in the next 25 years, he said that the next 25 years are most important for our country.
Next 25 years & Bharat’s Development
“The next 25 years are the most crucial 25 years of this decade for India. In these 25 years, we have to make our India prosperous, we have to make our India developed. There was a period of 25 years before independence, in which every countryman had sacrificed himself for an independent India. Now, the next 25 years is an opportunity for us and we have to take inspiration from Sardar Patel to achieve every goal,” the PM added.
“We feel proud as we are taking the stature of the biggest democracy to a new height”, he said.
He mentioned India’s robust position in security, economy, science, indigenous defence production, and global corporate leadership being provided by Indians in key global companies and sports. Continuing with the long pending issues, the Prime Minister also said that the construction of the Sardar Sarovar Dam, which was pending for five to six decades, was completed in the last few years.
Global green city
He cited the transformation of Kevadia – Ekta Nagar as an example of Sankalp se Siddhi. “Today Ekta Nagar is recognised as a global green city”, he said. Apart from various tourist attractions, the Prime Minister informed that in the last six months itself, more than 1.5 lakh trees have been planted in Ekta Nagar.
Touching upon the already strong solar power generation and city gas distribution in the locality, the Prime Minister said that today the attraction of a heritage train will be added to Ekta Nagar. He said more than 1.5 crore tourists have visited in the last five years, helping local tribal communities with employment avenues.
Attacks on national unity
Referring to the ‘Iron Man’ Sardar Saheb’s unwavering concern for internal security, the Prime Minister listed the steps taken in the last nine years in this regard and how the challenges are being firmly met by depriving the forces of destruction with the success that they enjoyed earlier. He stressed the need to remain vigilant against the attacks on the unity of the nation.
Earlier this morning, PM Modi paid floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the Statue of Unity on the birth anniversary of the country’s first Home Minister which is celebrated as National Unity Day.
The ‘Statue of Unity’, dedicated to Sardar Patel, was inaugurated here by PM Modi on October 31, 2018.
On the 148th birth anniversary of the ‘Iron Man’, Prime Minister Modi witnessed the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) parade, comprising marching contingents from the Border Security Force and the state police force.
Since 2014, October 31 has been observed as National Unity Day or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. On this occasion, ‘Run for Unity’ is organised nationwide, which sees participation by people from all walks of life. A daredevil show by all women CRPF Bikers, women pipe band of BSF, choreographed programme by Gujarat women police, special NCC show, school bands display, fly past by Indian Air Force, showcasing of economic viability of vibrant villages, among others, was displayed in front of the Prime Minister on the occasion.
Later, PM Modi will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth Rs 160 crore.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel served as India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister between 1947 to 1950.
Born on October 31, 1875, in Gujarat’s Nadiad, Sardar Patel is credited with uniting all 562 princely states of the pre-independent country to build the Republic of India. He passed away on December 15, 1950. (With Inputs ANI)
