Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his last tributes to Gujarat’s former chief minister Keshubhai Patel, who passed away at a city hospital on Thursday, at the latter’s residence, after reaching Ahmedabad on Friday. He is on a two-day visit to his home state, first time since the COVID-19 outbreak and the subsequent lockdown in March, to mark Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, celebrating the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He is scheduled to launch a number of projects, including a seaplane service between Kevadiya and Ahmedabad. “Will be in Gujarat tomorrow and day after (October 30 to October 31) to attend programmes in Kevadia, marking Ekta Diwas, Jayanti of the great Sardar Patel. A series of development works in Kevadia, home to the Statue of Unity, would also be inaugurated,” the Prime Minister tweeted on Thursday. As per the official website of the Prime Minister, he is scheduled to flag off Ekta Cruise Service to the Statue of Unity and inaugurate Ekta Mall and Children Nutrition Park there. He will also unveil the Statue of Unity website in all UN official languages and the Kevadia App at the Unity Glow Garden. “To commemorate the 145th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel on October 31, 2020, as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kevadia in Gujarat to pay homage to the great leader at the Statue of Unity. The Prime Minister will participate at the Ekta Diwas Parade and administer the Rashtriya Ekta Pledge,” the website said. It also said that Gujarat Police, Central Armed Police Forces, Border Security Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Central Industrial Security Forces and National Security Guards will participate in the parade and that the Prime Minister will witness a rifle drill by women officers of the CRPF. Thereafter, the Prime Minister is scheduled to interact with 428 officer trainees belonging to various civil services currently undergoing the 95th Foundation Course at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie, through video conference as a culmination of Aarambh 2020.
