Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited the Statue of Unity on Sunday, in the Narmada district of Gujarat. Tweeting about his visit on the microblogging site, he shared a photo of himself where he can be seen standing at Vishwa Van, below the Statue of Unity. The Minister stated in the caption how he marvelled at the thought of the world coming together in India.

S Jaishankar inaugurates Passport Seva Kendra

On Saturday, September 14, S Jaishankar inaugurated the Post Office Passport Seva Kendra at Rajpipla in the Narmada district in the presence of MPs Mansukhbhai Vasava and Gitaben Rathva. He thanked Sonia Yadav, the Ahmedabad Regional Passport Officer (RPO) and Chief Post Master General Ashok Poddar for their effective partnership. After inaugurating, he was quoted saying there should be at least one Passport Seva Kendra in every district.

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The Union Minister also said the district will attract tourists from all over the world due to the Statue of Unity- the massive statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. It will also open up opportunities for the locals to go abroad. The world’s tallest statue measuring 182 metres is just 25 km away from Rajpipla. "Being foreign minister, I believe there should be at least one Passport Seva Kendra in every Lok Sabha constituency, or rather in every district," said Jaishankar, who is the Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat. "This is the first centre I have inaugurated after becoming foreign minister," he added.

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'The Statue of Unity will change your future': S Jaishankar

"The Statue of Unity is being talked about all over the country, and even non-resident Indians, who number more than 300 lakh, will certainly visit this place. The Statue of Unity will change your future. When the world comes to you, you will also go abroad," he said.

He praised PM Narendra Modi for the changes in the country in the last five years. "Experience of people like us (who have spent a long time outside India) is different. I would say we are more objective when comparing the country's present to its past. The changes that I have seen in the last five years are something I have not seen in my entire lifetime," he said. "People trust Modi because he has, in a way, become a symbol of change, and the youth feel this more," the Union Minister said.'

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During his two-day visit to the Narmada district - of which he has been made in-charge minister, Jaishankar on Saturday visited Malsamot village in predominantly-tribal Dediapada tehsil.

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(With inputs from PTI)