In collaboration with the Indian Consulate General, about 40 or more Indian community organizations in the US staged a “March for Unity” in Edison on October 30.
The 1.5-kilometer walk drew over 400 participants. Consul General of India in New York, Randhir Jaiswal, was the chief guest, whereas the Mayor of Edison, Sam Joshi, was the guest of honor.
The event was held along the lines of ‘Run For Unity’ and other such events that have been organized to commemorate the 147th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a prominent figure in India’s freedom movement. This year’s celebration is also special with India celebrating 75 years of Independence.
Speaking at the occasion, Consul General Randhir Jaiswal said, “It is truly a delight that Ekta Diwas is being celebrated and people have gathered from different communities to celebrate this. This message of unity will continue to hold the Indian Diaspora across the globe in good stead.”
The Mayor of Edison, Sam Joshi, said that it is heartening to see such a turnout and that unity in diversity is our strength and the binding factor that holds us together no matter which state, religion or linguistic background we come from.
Participating organization FIA’s President Kenny Desai welcomed the CG and the Mayor of Edison and other dignitaries, which included H.R. Shah of TV ASIA, Sudhir Parikh of Parikh Worldwide Media, Dr. Avinash Gupta from BJANA, and Alok Kumar from the Bihar Foundation of India, amongst others. He said that this March is an endeavor to unify the diverse Indian Diaspora and is the need of the hour. He also went on to elaborate on the role of Sardar Patel in unifying India after gaining Independence.
Ankur Vaidya, chairman of theFederation of Indian Associations (FIA) – one of the participating organizations – said that the march was organized specifically at Oaktree Road since it’s the hub of the Indian community. The aim of the peaceful march is to convey a message of peace, harmony, joy and co-existence with Unity in Diversity, he further added. The event took place on Sunday morning instead of Monday to facilitate wider participation from the community, said organizers.