Shankersinh Vaghela opposes Sardar Patel statue, claims it would enforce migration of locals

Senior Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela on Tuesday opposed the construction of 'Statue of Unity', Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet project, claiming that building the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's statue would enforce migration of local people.

In a press release, Vaghela claimed that the BJP government was not serious about the development of Sardar Patel's ancestral town of Karamsad. "Sardar Patel's statue is a new stunt by the Gujarat government. Many Narmada dam affected villagers were still awaiting rehabilitation, but this government is interested in another misadventure in the name of Statue of Unity, which will dislocate many other people," Vaghela said.

It has been claimed that the 182-metre Sardar Patel statue would be the tallest statue in the world. As per an official website, the estimated budget for the project is Rs 2,063 crore. It is scheduled to be built within four years at Sadhu-Bet island near Sardar Sarovar Dam in Narmada district. Vaghela alleged that government was playing vote bank politics and misleading the people of India.

"Patel's ancestral town Karamsad is in shambles, as roads and schools in that town are in bad shape. But since there are only 5,000 voters in Karamsad, the BJP government is ignoring their plight. They are fooling people in the name of 'Statue of Unity' and using Sardar Patel's name for their vote bank politics," Vaghela alleged. The Congress leader also called the 'Gujarat Model' as nothing but a "publicity stunt" to get votes during election. "The government is marketing 'Gujarat Model' in other states to claim that everyone in Gujarat has become prosperous. However, there is nothing like the 'Gujarat Model'. They are just playing vote bank politics by misleading people," Vaghela said.