On the eve of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, police personnel, schoolchildren and residents debated Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s legacy, cleared plastic waste from a college campus and handed cleanliness kits to three government schools
(Baramulla), October 30, 2026
Tariq Bhat
On Thursday the Armed Police Complex at Parihaspora hosted a day of debate and clean-up. The 21st Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police (India Reserve) opened its gates to schoolchildren, teachers and local residents for a debate and quiz competition on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, followed by a cleanliness drive and the distribution of sanitation kits to three government schools.
The event was organised under the Battalion’s Civic Action Programme (CAP) 2026-27 with the approval of Police Headquarters, Jammu and Kashmir. It had two aims: to bring Patel’s principles back into public discussion, and to make cleanliness a shared habit among police personnel, students and the wider community.
The timing was deliberate. October 31 marks the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel, India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, who brought more than 560 princely states into the Union after Independence. Since 2014 the day has been observed nationwide as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, or National Unity Day.
The day began with a debate and quiz competition. Students from PM SHRI Government Boys High School Diver, Government Boys Middle School Khanpeth and Government Boys Middle School Yakhmanpora tested their knowledge of the man widely remembered as the “Iron Man of India.”
Teams spoke on Patel’s life, his vision and his role in unifying the country. Judges marked them on content, delivery, overall performance and depth of research. The winning and runner-up teams received trophies and mementos, and every participant was given a certificate.
The Commandant of the Battalion, Senior Superintendent of Police Sheikh Faisal Qayoom, praised the students for their well-researched arguments and thoughtful presentations. He said Patel’s ideals of unity, discipline and selfless service to the nation were as relevant today as ever, and that the younger generation must carry them forward.
He said initiatives of this kind help build trust between the police and the community, particularly among young people. In Kashmir, police–community engagement has long been a priority for the security establishment.
Before the cleanliness drive began, the Commandant addressed the gathering of police personnel, students and civilians. His central message was that cleanliness cannot be a one-day ritual. It has to be a daily habit, he said, because it is essential to good health and a clean environment.
He described cleanliness as both a social and a moral responsibility. Collective effort, he said, not only strengthens police–public relations but also makes a real contribution to society.
After the address, police personnel, students, teachers and residents spread out across the B.Ed. College campus next to the Battalion Headquarters at Parihaspora and the area around it, clearing litter and plastic waste. Organisers said the drive was meant to show community action in practice. It also aimed to build civic sense and raise awareness about environmental cleanliness, the dangers of pollution and the damage polythene does to the environment. Polythene waste remains a persistent concern across the Kashmir Valley’s towns, water bodies and farmland.
The programme also left something behind. The Battalion gave cleanliness kits to representatives of the three participating schools and to civilians at the venue. Each kit contained “USE ME” dustbins in medium and small sizes, brooms, bathroom brushes, wipers, toilet cleaners and phenyl, so the schools could keep their premises clean and hygienic after the event.
The programme ended with high tea for guests and participants and a vote of thanks to everyone who helped make it a success.
Officials said the Parihaspora event is part of a series of activities the 21st Battalion JKAP (IR) is running under its Civic Action Programme 2026-27 to deepen community engagement and promote social responsibility. More programmes are planned in the coming months.
For the schoolchildren of Diver, Khanpeth and Yakhmanpora, the day mixed lessons on the history of a nation’s unity with the work of keeping their own surroundings clean. The Battalion hopes both lessons stay with them long after the brooms are put away.
— Aalimi Nation News Desk
