Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday participated in the National Unity Day celebrations in Gujarat, using the occasion to highlight the success of India's Operation Sindoor.
"This is a message to our enemies: this is the India of Sardar Patel, a nation that never compromises on its security or dignity," PM Modi said in a speech beside the Statue of Unity, on the 150th birthday celebrations of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Kevadia, Gujarat: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "After 2014, the country once again witnessed the iron will and inspirational strength of Sardar Patel. Today, Kashmir has completely integrated with the mainstream, breaking free from the shackles of Article 370. Today, even… pic.twitter.com/bpiApvovxb
— IANS (@ians_india) October 31, 2025
"Today, even Pakistan and the handlers of terrorism have realised India's true strength. In Operation Sindoor, the whole world saw that if anyone dares to raise their eyes against the country, India strikes back with force, even entering their territory," he added, linking New Delhi's bold security stance to Sardar Patel's vision for India.
Earlier today, Modi paid homage to the 182-metre-tall statue of Patel—India's first deputy PM, also known as the 'Iron Man of India'—with flowers.
At the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) celebrations that followed, he administered the 'Oath of Unity', after which came a parade similar to those during Republic Day.
The grand parade featured 10 floats—special floats from the National Security Guard (NSG) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), as well as state-wise floats from Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Manipur, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Puducherry—depicting the theme ‘Unity in Diversity’, a PTI report said.
#WATCH | Gujarat | National Security Guard (NSG) contingent at the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade in Ekta Nagar. #SardarPatel150 pic.twitter.com/LSErV8lpc8
— ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2025
Contingents of the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) also participated in the parade, which later included a cultural programme featuring 900 artists.
Modi also touched on Kashmir and the abrogation of Article 370, saying that J&K had "completely integrated with the mainstream".
He also took a sharp dig at the Congress, which he claimed had "forgotten Sardar".
"For decades, the country burned in the fire of Congress' mistakes on Kashmir. Due to Congress' weak policies, a part of Kashmir fell to Pakistan's illegal occupation. Pakistan encouraged terrorism. Kashmir and the country paid such a heavy price, yet Congress always bowed to terrorism," he declared.
#WATCH | Ekta Nagar, Gujarat | On Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "...Congress not only inherited its party and power from the British, but also internalized the slave mentality. In a few days, Vande Mataram, will be celebrating its 150th anniversary.… pic.twitter.com/bTvDvTvcyy
— ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2025
PM Modi concluded his speech by invoking Patel's ideals of unity in diversity.
"In a united India, diverse ideas must be respected. There may be differences of opinion, but there cannot be differences of the heart," he said.
