25,000 people to attend Ekta Divas show in Gujarat: Union Home Minister

Home Minister Govind Mohan, BSF DG Parveen Kumar and others during a press conference during Rashtriya Ekta Diwas 2026 on October 21, 2026 | Photo credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

Around 25,000 people are likely to attend the Rashtriya Ekta Divas parade on October 31 in Gujarat’s Ekta Nagar, Union Home Minister Govind Mohan said on Wednesday (Oct 21, 2026). October 31 is celebrated as the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India.

The event is not an alternative or a competition to the Republic Day parade, Mr. Mohan said. “Every event has its dignity, honor and place in the national perspective. Republic Day, which is a celebration of the coming into force of the Constitution, is sacred… It means an event that highlights the military capabilities of the country, shows the full strength of the Indian armed forces. Ekta Divas is more of a celebration of the achievements of the police force, we want to showcase different elements, we have a slightly different perspective.) the end of Naxalism may be different next year. The core is the unity of the country,” said Mr. Mohan.

Ekta Nagar, where the Sardar Patel Statue of Unity was inaugurated in 2018, is located between the Satpura and Vindhyachal ranges in Gujarat.

Around 2,000 artistes from 126 Naxal-affected districts across the country will participate in this year’s Ekta Divas show, cultural performances and other events. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend.

The theme of this year’s cultural events at the Rashtriya Ekta Divas celebrations is Vande Mataram. In the 150th year of Vande Mataram, many of the newly introduced features during this year’s parade were drawn from Vande Mataram.

Another new feature of this year’s celebrations is that the parade and all performances will be held in the evening due to high temperatures during the day, Mr. Mohan said.

The paintings were usually produced and designed by either government departments and ministries or state governments or other government entities. This time the designs and features for the scenes were determined through national competitions held on MyGov at the national level and also in each district of Gujarat.

Combining all the themes and proposals received from national and statewide competitions, a total of 15 paintings would be based on these proposals, created entirely by the public, without any involvement of any government department or ministry. The government is moving towards the idea that scenes at important events would include the aspirations of common people rather than the structured themes of government entities and state governments, Mr. Mohan said, with people’s scenes being witnessed for the first time in Ekta Nagar.

New initiatives aimed at highlighting the achievements of the security forces included eliminating Naxalism; showcasing the country’s cultural diversity; including a play on Anandamath written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee; and cultural program of people who have settled in Gujarat from different parts of the country, he said.

The personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces and other Central Police Organizations and State Police Forces, which have played a key role in the fight against armed Naxalism, will participate.

As the contingents pass around the PM, LED screens will show short films highlighting their achievements and contributions to maintain peace and security in the affected areas, Mr. Mohan said.

Around 2,000 artistes representing 126 districts that have experienced the impact of Naxal violence over the years will come together for the cultural programme, Mr Mohan said. Their participation will highlight the resilience of communities that have withstood the conflict and highlight the role of cultural expression in strengthening national integration, the interior minister said.

Published – 21 Oct 2026 19:20 IST