English rendering of PM’s speech at the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas programme in Kevadia, Gujarat

Prime Minister's Office English rendering of PM’s speech at the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas programme in Kevadia, Gujarat

Posted On: 31 OCT 2026 9:34PM by PIB Delhi I will say, “Sardar Patel,” and all of you respond, “Immortal forever, immortal forever.” Sardar Patel – Immortal forever, immortal forever.

Sardar Patel – Immortal forever, immortal forever.

Sardar Patel – Immortal forever, immortal forever.

My dear countrymen, Today’s event is somewhat different. Until now, we have always held this programme on Unity Day in the morning. This time, there has been a slight change. We have all gathered in the evening. In the morning, lakhs and lakhs of citizens participated in the Run for Unity with a pledge of national unity. We saw the enthusiasm of the people in the Run for Unity.

Yesterday evening, I witnessed magnificent presentations at the Bharat Parv Pavilion. And now, on this national occasion, we are present at the feet of Sardar Patel.

Friends, This is the world’s tallest statue, the Statue of Unity. The participation of the entire nation in its construction, the unique aura of this place, and the extraordinary energy and inspiration of Unity Day fill one’s heart with pride and gratitude upon coming here. Pride in being a citizen of this great nation, and gratitude towards Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who united more than 550 princely states after Independence. With an iron resolve, he bound this nation together in the thread of unity.

Friends, Freedom is essential for any nation. When a nation is free, it determines its own future. But freedom receives the right direction through a republic. A republic shows us the path of taking decisions within the framework of the Constitution. The Constitution keeps us accountable to the people. And unity gives us the strength to move forward as one nation.

That is why in our country, Independence Day, Republic Day, and Unity Day are all celebrated with great enthusiasm as national festivals.

Friends,Once again today, in Ekta Nagar, we have witnessed the grand vision of India’s unity. This year’s National Unity Parade has also been extraordinary. This parade is dedicated to the courage and bravery of our police and security forces. Through the tableaux, the nation’s heritage and aspirations have been presented before the country. Therefore, Unity Day is no longer limited merely to official events. Through public participation, it has become a celebration of national pride. On this occasion, I extend my greetings to all countrymen on National Unity Day. I bow with deep reverence at the feet of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Friends, Sardar Patel is that great personality in India’s history without whom it is difficult even to imagine present-day India. It was Sardar Patel who shaped the India we know today. Even after Partition, the person who kept India secure from the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean was Sardar Patel.

Friends, Sardar Patel was able to do this because he understood the character and consciousness of India. He knew that India’s diversity was not its weakness. He knew that India’s diversity was, in fact, the true foundation of its unity. For thousands of years, we have lived in this manner. Through this very strength, we touched the heights of progress and prosperity.

Friends, Sardar Patel once again laid the foundation of that India. He did not merely shape the geography of the nation; he also bound the country together through emotional unity.

Through the reconstruction of the Somnath Temple in Gujarat, he also initiated the cultural renaissance of the nation.

Friends, This year marks the 75th anniversary of that great work as well. Just as the flag of the Somnath Temple has been flying with pride for a thousand years despite the repeated destruction attempted by aggressors, that same spirit of self-respect inspired us to celebrate the Somnath Swabhiman Parva. And this year, the nation is celebrating that occasion with equal enthusiasm.

My dear countrymen, Today, these great ceremonies of national unity, India’s rising stature on the global stage, the rapid pace of our economic progress, and the revival of our sacred centres from Kashi Vishwanath to the Ram Temple, all point to the direction in which India is moving. It is a path shown to us by Sardar Patel. And for this, the nation will remain indebted to him forever.

Friends, Last year, we celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel. For two years, programmes and celebrations were organised across the country. We took major resolutions for the nation and pledged to fulfil them. And today, as we celebrate his 151st birth anniversary, we can say with satisfaction that the nation has fulfilled those resolutions within a very short period of time. In these two years, the country has achieved several unprecedented accomplishments.Friends, On the occasion of Sardar Patel’s 150th birth anniversary, standing here at his feet, I had said, “Until the country is completely free from Naxalism and Maoist terror, we will not rest.” And exactly one year later, as we stand here today, that national resolve has been fulfilled. Today, the backbone of Naxalism has been broken in the country. In 2015, 126 districts of the country were affected by Left-wing extremism. By March 2026, not a single district remained in the country that was still affected by Naxalism. These districts, which suffered for decades from violence and bloodshed, are now becoming part of the mainstream of development. Today, roads are expanding in these areas. Mobile networks are reaching people. Educational and healthcare facilities are increasing. Youth who once faced uncertainty now have new opportunities for education, employment, and progress.

Friends, This time, at this Unity Day celebration, families from Naxal-affected regions have joined us here as special guests. I welcome all of them and wish them a bright future. Today, I also pay my respects to all those brave security personnel who made the supreme sacrifice to establish peace in these regions of the country.

Friends, Today, India is more secure than before. Today, India is more determined than before. And one major reason for this is the increased confidence of our citizens. Confidence comes from achievements. Confidence comes from the sensitivity of the government and the system. Today, I would certainly like to speak about one such major national achievement.

Friends, Talks of removing poverty in India have been going on since Independence. Votes were sought in the name of eradicating poverty. But we all know what the actual condition of poverty in the country was. Those who raised the slogan of removing poverty themselves kept becoming richer. Change in circumstances began to come in recent years. Just a few days ago, a World Bank report was released. The report states that in the ten to twelve years before 2024, fifty crore Indians defeated poverty. That means where earlier 27 out of every 100 people, more than one-fourth of the population, were trapped in extreme poverty, today that number has fallen to less than 3 out of every 100 people.

Friends, The entire world is acknowledging that this is a major achievement. But how did this happen? It happened because for the past twelve years, the country has prioritised the welfare and empowerment of the poor. During these twelve years, the nation received a leak-proof system. Through DBT, every rupee sent from Delhi reached the poor. Free ration and free healthcare helped poor families save money. Crores of permanent houses, crores of toilets, and smoke-free kitchens made life easier for the poor. Crores of people received the protection of insurance, which became a source of support during times of crisis.

Before 2014, even 25 crore people in the country did not have any social security coverage.

Today, nearly 100 crore people in the country have been connected to a social security safety net.

Friends,Today, when the entire nation is remembering and paying tribute to Sardar Saheb, his soul must surely be blessing us. Through such efforts, we will eliminate poverty from the country and build a Developed India.

Friends, National unity guarantees a nation's stability and success. And in times of global instability such as these, the importance of unity has increased even more. You all know that today the world is burning in the fires of unrest. This is among the most difficult periods of the past several decades. Wars are taking place between many countries around the world.

Major economies are struggling with challenges. The crisis of resources continues to grow.

Global supply chains are becoming fragmented. At such a time, India's unity, the unity of all Indians, is our greatest strength. Because it is this unity that will help us overcome every storm.

Brothers and sisters, In recent months, we have seen the world struggling with an energy crisis. In some countries, limits were even imposed on the purchase of petrol and diesel. It was being said that India would face the biggest crisis because it has such a large population and does not produce sufficient petroleum. Amid these concerns, anti-India forces also became active.

But friends, This is India's strength. We did not allow the impact of this global energy crisis to fall upon our citizens. This is certainly a diplomatic and strategic success for the country, but the unity and solidarity of our people played an equally important role. While the nation was looking for solutions to external challenges, certain forces within the country were busy spreading lies and rumours in an attempt to create instability. But the people of India stood shoulder to shoulder with the nation. This is the greatest strength of this country.

This is the strongest foundation of our confidence.

Friends, When great leaders such as Sardar Patel and Babasaheb Ambedkar created the Constitution of India, they established the system of a ruling side and an opposition side.

They also explained the importance of this arrangement. In a democracy, the responsibility of the opposition is to oppose government policies. But unfortunately, in today's India, the opposition has abandoned its duty and has transformed itself from an opposition into an obstruction. In its frustration and despair, it has begun placing obstacles in the path of the country's development. This is not opposition; this is obstruction. They have made it the basis of their politics. They are engaged in tearing apart the dignity and spirit of the Constitution.

Friends, These forces are continuously engaged in conspiracies to divide the nation. Attempts are being made to divide and pit against one another the children of Mother India. Due to more than a decade of frustration and disappointment, these people have now come out in the open. We must identify who is secretly meeting whom abroad, which anti-India forces are supporting whom, and who is speaking the language of India's enemies. Wemust recognise these patterns. We must unite and confront them. Especially the way social media is being used as a weapon, the way rumours are being spread, and the efforts being made to damage India's image, all citizens must come together to deal with these challenges. We have ended Naxalism in remote regions. But the threat of intellectual Naxalism has not yet disappeared from the country. The nation must always remain vigilant against these intellectual Naxals.

Friends, No matter how difficult the circumstances may be, we must not allow this grand mission of national unity and this journey towards a strong and capable India to stop. We must now work towards the next major goals. We must secure the nation's borders completely. We must stop infiltration and demographic changes caused by it. We must also move forward towards a Secular Civil Code.

Friends, Whenever a nation takes great resolutions, whenever it takes major decisions, obstacles will arise, difficulties will appear, and storms will have to be faced. But India is no longer going to stop. The mantra of "Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat" and the goal of a Developed India have now become India's unwavering resolve. We will push ourselves to the limits of hard work. We will confront every storm with determination. But our eyes will remain fixed

on one objective alone: building a strong, capable, and developed India by 2047, when the nation completes 100 years of independence. This passion must be present in every effort we make and in every breath we take. This idea must beat with every heartbeat in our hearts. With this resolve, I once again extend my heartfelt greetings to all of you on National Unity Day.

Bharat Mata Ki Jai! Bharat Mata Ki Jai! Bharat Mata Ki Jai! Vande Mataram.

Vande Mataram.

Vande Mataram.

Thank you very much.

DISCLAIMER: This is the approximate translation of Prime Minister’s address. Original address was delivered in Hindi. **** MJPS/SS/VJ/ST (Release ID: 2331035)Visitor Counter : 176

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