Why 31 October is celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Divas at Statue of Unity

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” led to the decision to celebrate 31 October, the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel, as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas every year.
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas is celebrated with great fervour across the country since 2014. In the last eight years, it has gained wide acceptance and the day has now become established at par with other important national celebrations such as Independence Day and Republic Day. Such has been the scale of its impact that the tradition of the celebration of the day by the PM has become cast in stone—one which all future Prime Ministers would not want to miss out on.
The official celebrations in which the PM participates take place at the Statue of Unity, which was dedicated to the nation by the PM in 2018 on Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. So closely integrated have the location and the celebration of the day become that this association has developed as much recall value as Kartavya Path for Republic Day and Red Fort for Independence Day. This year too, PM will participate in the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations that will take place at the Statue of Unity.
The celebration will witness a Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Parade, which will include contingents of BSF and of five State Police Forces, one from each zone. A special attraction of the programme will be a performance by a tribal children’s musical band from Ambaji.
The members of the band once used to beg at Ambaji temple. The PM had earlier also encouraged these children when they performed in front of him during his visit to Ambaji last month.
On this day, ‘Run for Unity’ conceptualised by PM Modi, is also organised across the country.