KEVADIA, 31 October (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday delivered a powerful address on Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, reaffirming India's commitment to national unity and vowing to thwart all conspiracies aimed at dividing the nation.

Speaking from Kevadia, Gujarat, on the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Prime Minister emphasized that every action weakening the country's fabric must be shunned by its citizens.In his speech, PM Modi paid tribute to Sardar Patel's monumental achievement of integrating over 550 princely states into the Indian Union, underscoring that the vision of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat (One India, Supreme India) was paramount for the nation's first Home Minister. He asserted, This is Iron Man Sardar Patel's India. It will never compromise on its security or its self-respect.

The Prime Minister highlighted several key threats to national unity and outlined his government's decisive actions against them:

Terrorism and Insurgency

He declared that since 2014, his government has dealt a decisive and powerful blow to Naxalism and Maoist terrorism, significantly reducing the number of affected districts.

Illegal Infiltration PM Modi identified infiltrators as a grave threat to India's demographic balance and internal security, criticizing past governments for alleged inaction due to vote-bank politics. He reiterated his resolve to remove every infiltrator living in India.

Colonial Mindset

The Prime Minister stated that the nation is actively removing every trace of a colonial mindset, citing the renaming of Rajpath to Kartavya Path and honoring freedom fighters as steps toward strengthening the spirit of Nation First.

PM Modi identified four pillars crucial for India's unity: cultural unity, linguistic unity, inclusive development, and connectivity. He stressed that while India celebrates its diverse languages and cultures, the underlying spirit of unity binds the nation together. He emphasized that development must be free from discrimination to empower every citizen.

The day's events included a grand parade featuring contingents from various security forces, cultural performances, and the Prime Minister administering the Ekta Pledge. The celebration also marked the culmination of Aarambh 7.0, where PM Modi interacted with 660 officer trainees from civil services across India and Bhutan.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar