Gandhinagar, Oct 30 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi was accorded a warm welcome in Gujarat on Thursday, as he reached his home state for a two-day visit and is set to participate in the ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’ (National Unity Day) celebrations, commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel — ‘Iron Man of India’, this year.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and other senior dignitaries, including Commissioner and Collector gave a warm welcome to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, upon his arrival at the Vadodara airport.

PM Modi then left for Ekta Nagar, where he will lay the foundation stone of various infrastructural and developmental projects and will also inaugurate several projects.

He will also release a special commemorative coin of Rs 150 denomination and stamp marking the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.

On Friday, PM Modi will lead the ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’ celebrations by offering floral tribute to the ‘Iron Man of India’ and also administer the Ekta Diwas pledge.

This year’s Ekta Diwas celebrations is special as it includes a cultural festival and Unity Parade, marking the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in the Ekta Nagar, where the 182-metre tall Statue of Unity stands.

The National Unity Day parade, styled on the lines of Republic Day parade will see security forces doing parade, along with decorative tableaus.

“The parade will include contingents from BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB along with various state police forces.

Key attractions this year include a BSF marching contingent comprising exclusively Indian breed dogs such as Rampur Hounds and Mudhol Hounds, Gujarat Police’s Horse Contingent, Assam Police’s Motorcycle Daredevil Show, and BSF’s Camel Contingent and Camel Mounted Band,” a government statement said.

The Ekta Diwas parade will feature about 10 tableaux from NSG, NDRF, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Manipur, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Puducherry, depicting the theme ‘Unity in Diversity’.

–IANS

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