Indian PM Modi inaugurates world’s biggest statue

India yesterday inaugurated the world’s biggest statue with pomp, fireworks and tight security amid an outcry among local groups over the cost of the 182 metre (600 feet) high reproduction of an Indian independence hero.

Activists said about a dozen of their leaders had been detained before Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially opened the tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, with an air force jet flyover, helicopters showering flowers on the statue and fireworks in the green, orange and white national colours.

“Today is a day that will be remembered in the history of India,” said Modi who hailed Sardar Patel’s “strategic thinking” in bringing together the disparate country after independence in 1947 and the Statue of Unity as “a symbol of our engineering and technical prowess.”

But around the statue in a remote corner of Gujarat state, more than 5,000 police guarded the huge site where construction work has taken nearly four years to complete the megaproject. Hundreds of Chinese have been among the 3,500 workers. Anand Mazgaonkar, a community group leader in Narmada district, said plain clothes police took away 12 people late Tuesday to the local police headquarters.

 

Indian PM Modi inaugurates worlds biggest statue

India yesterday inaugurated the worlds biggest statue with pomp, fireworks and tight security amid an outcry among local groups over the cost of the 182 metre (600 feet) high reproduction of an Indian independence hero. Activists said about a dozen of their leaders had been detained before Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially opened the tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, with an air force jet flyover, helicopters showering flowers on the statue and fireworks in the green, orange and white national colours. Today is a day that will be remembered in the history of India, said Modi who hailed Sardar Patels strategic thinking in bringing together the disparate country after independence in 1947 and the Statue of Unity as a symbol of our engineering and technical prowess. But around the statue in a remote corner of Gujarat state, more than 5,000 police guarded the huge site where construction work has taken nearly four years to complete the megaproject. Hundreds of Chinese have been among the 3,500 workers. Anand Mazgaonkar, a community group leader in Narmada district, said plain clothes police took away 12 people late Tuesday to the local police headquarters.