Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the iconic Statue of Unity in Gujarat on the birth anniversary of the country's first home minister.
Since 2014, Sardar Patel's birth anniversary has been celebrated on October 31 as 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas', or National Unity Day.
Modi arrived at the world's tallest statue, dedicated to Patel, near Ekta Nagar in the state's Narmada district in the morning and offered flower petals to pay his respects to the Iron Man of India.
He then left for a nearby venue, where he was scheduled to administer the Ekta Diwas pledge to a gathering and witness the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade, comprising 16 marching contingents, including those from nine states, one UT (Union Territory) police, four Central Armed Police Forces, NCC, and a band.
'On the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, I pay my deepest respects to him. The unity and sovereignty of the nation were his utmost priorities in life. His personality and deeds will continue to inspire every generation of our country,' Modi said in a tweet in Hindi.
Modi is on a two-day Gujarat visit from Wednesday. On the first day, he inaugurated and laid foundation stones for projects as well as new tourist attractions worth Rs 284 crore.
Late Wednesday evening, he addressed Officer Trainees from across 16 civil services of India and three civil services of Bhutan who were part of the 99th Common Foundation Course at the Statue of Unity.
