AMN
The 182-meter-tall bronze monument depicts Sardar Vallabbhai Patel who, together with Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, played a key role in the country’s struggle for independence from Britain.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi told participants at a commemorative event that people in India should follow the path laid by Sardar Patel so that India can become a strong nation both economically and strategically.
The statue was first planned when Modi was chief minister of Gujarat state.
Unveiling the 182-metre statue of the Iron Man of India, world’s tallest, on his 143rd birth anniversary, Prime Minister said Sardar Patel’s statue will remind the world about the courage of the man who thwarted attempts to disintegrate India.
He said had Sardar Patel not united the country, we would need the visa to see lions or pay homage at Somnath or view Charminar in Hyderabad. He said Sardar Patel’s statue will remind those who question India’s existence that this nation was, is and will remain eternal.
Mr described the Statue of Unity as a symbol of the country’s engineering and technical capabilities. Gujarat Governor O P Kohli, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and BJP chief Amit Shah were present at the unveiling of the ‘Statue of Unity’.
The imposing monument is twice the height of the Statue of Liberty in the US and is built on an islet, Sadhu Bet, near the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat’s Narmada district.
A viewing gallery has been created at a height of 135 metres inside the statue to enable tourists to have a view of the dam and nearby mountain ranges.
Near the statue, Mr Modi also unveiled the ‘Wall of Unity’ which has been created with the earth samples collected from various states across the country.
PM @narendramodi and other dignitaries witness flypast by @IAF_MCC at Kevadiya, Gujarat. #StatueOfUnity #SardarVallabhBhaiPatel #RashtriyaEktaDiwas pic.twitter.com/AA91PhZYaH
— PIB India (@PIB_India) October 31, 2018
As part of the effort to make the region around the statue a tourist spot, many projects like Valley of Flowers and Tent City have been developed.
The Prime Minister will also unveil a ‘Light and Sound show’ on Sardar Patel in the exhibition hall built at the pedestal of the Statue of Unity. The show will depict the Iron Man of India’s fight against British rule.
Highlighting Centre’s initiatives for the welfare of farmers and women, Mr Modi said, Sardar Patel also believed in the welfare of weaker sections of the country, particularly farmers and women.
Mr Modi said the government has been constantly working to ensure that farmers get remunerative prices for their crops.
The Prime Minister visited the valley of flowers, Museum and Exhibition and Viewers Gallery and performed special prayer at the feet of the Statue of Unity.
A ‘Fly Past’ program was performed by the Indian Air Force on the occasion.