India is marking Rashtriya Ekta Diwas today, October 31, the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and the main celebration is once again at Ekta Nagar (formerly Kevadia) in Gujarat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to pay tribute at the Statue of Unity and watch the Ekta Parade. This year the government has given the day a sharp theme of its own: celebrating the end of armed Naxalism.
For the first time, the people taking centre stage include thousands who lived through the Maoist years. About 5,000 guests and around 2,000 performers have been invited from 126 districts that were once affected by armed Naxalism, turning a ceremonial parade into a story of those districts.
Why October 31 Is National Unity Day
Sardar Patel, India's first Home Minister, is remembered for persuading over 560 princely states to join the Indian Union after Independence. The Centre declared his birth anniversary Rashtriya Ekta Diwas in 2014, and since the 182-metre Statue of Unity opened at Kevadia in 2018, the riverside site on the Narmada has become the national venue for the day's main event.
The day usually includes the Unity Pledge in offices and schools, "Run for Unity" events in towns and cities, and a parade by police and Central Armed Police Forces before the Prime Minister.
What Is Different in 2026
Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan announced the plan at a press briefing in New Delhi earlier this month. He said the 2026 celebration would honour the role of the police, the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and central police organisations in ending armed Naxalism.
The Ekta Parade
Contingents from the BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB will march alongside state police forces that led the fight against Left-Wing Extremism. As each contingent passes the saluting dais, a short film on LED screens will highlight its main achievements, a new feature meant to tell the public what these units actually did on the ground.
A People's Tableau and 15 Themes
Tableaux at national events are normally designed by ministries or state governments. This year the ideas came from the public through MyGov competitions held across India and in every district of Gujarat. Fifteen tableaux have been built from the winning entries, and for the first time Ekta Nagar will see a "people's tableau".
2,000 Artists and a Vande Mataram Theme
The National School of Drama is presenting a large performance by roughly 2,000 artists from the 126 formerly Naxal-affected districts, recreating life in those regions when armed violence put lives and property at risk. The cultural theme is Vande Mataram, which marks 150 years, and the show includes a play based on Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel Anandamath, the work in which the song first appeared.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Occasion | Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) |
| Date | Saturday, October 31, 2026 |
| Anniversary | 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel |
| Venue | Statue of Unity, Ekta Nagar (Kevadia), Gujarat |
| Chief guest | Prime Minister Narendra Modi |
| Main theme | End of armed Naxalism |
| Cultural theme | 150 years of Vande Mataram |
| Tableaux | 15, including the first "people's tableau" |
| Performers | About 2,000 artists from 126 districts (National School of Drama) |
| Special guests | About 5,000 people from formerly Naxal-affected districts |
PM Modi's Gujarat Visit
The Prime Minister reached Gujarat on Friday for a two-day visit. On the first day he launched development projects in the state worth around Rs 14,000 crore, including Ahmedabad Metro extensions, and attended the Narmada Aarti in the evening before today's Unity Day programme. Friday's visit also saw the release of the PM-KISAN instalment from Banaskantha.
What It Means for Readers
For people in the former "Red Corridor" districts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the symbolism matters. Inviting residents and local artists to the country's biggest unity celebration is a signal that the Centre wants to present these areas as part of the mainstream story of development, not just as security zones.
For everyone else, the day is also a practical one. Government offices, schools and colleges across India hold the Unity Pledge, and many cities organise Run for Unity events in the morning. The government has also used the occasion to promote Ekta Nagar as a tourist destination, with new attractions developed around the statue in recent years.
What Happens Next
Once the parade and cultural programme end, attention will turn to the Prime Minister's address, which is expected to touch on national unity, internal security and the Vande Mataram anniversary year. The Home Ministry has said it hopes the celebration will encourage people from across the country to visit Ekta Nagar, so expect a fresh push on tourism around the Statue of Unity in the weeks ahead.
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