As India observes Rashtriya Ekta Diwas on Oct 31 to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, this year’s celebrations at Ekta Nagar carry historic significance.
The nation officially commemorates achieving its target of making the country entirely free from Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), commonly known as Naxalism.
While Sardar Patel’s monumental task at Independence was integrating over 560 princely states into a single political Union, the modern imperative has been ensuring that unity translates into security, peace, and dignity for every citizen.
Regions like Bastar in Chhattisgarh—once isolated by dense terrain, poor connectivity, and decades of Maoist violence—now symbolise this evolution of national integration.
Following the National Policy and Action Plan launched in 2015, a combined strategy of joint security operations and deep administrative outreach progressively dismantled extremist networks. By early 2026, the number of LWE-affected districts dropped from 126 in 2014 to zero.
Concurrently, thousands of kilometres of new roads, mobile towers, banking services, and Eklavya Model Residential Schools have reconnected formerly isolated tribal belts to the national mainstream.
Featuring a grand Ekta Parade, cultural performances, and thousands of invitees from former LWE-affected districts, the 2026 celebrations highlight that true national unity relies not just on drawing borders, but on empowering communities to share in a common future.
