Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today unveiled grandiose plan to build the world’s tallest 182-metre high Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s ‘Statue of Unity’ on the Narmada as his unique gift to mark his entering tenth year in the office on October 7, 2010.
Expressing his sincere gratitude to the citizens of Gujarat and people of India for extending their unflinching support and co-operation, he said the Bharatiya Janata Party Government has completed nine years in the State despite many hurdles and storms, natural calamities amidst atmosphere of political intolerance and ill-feelings, barrage of misinformation. It will be nevertheless etched in the annals of history as a decade of development in Gujarat in the 21st Century.
“I take this opportunity, coinciding with the golden jubilee of Gujarat’s formation, to declare my resolve to build a world-class statue befitting the stature of the Iron Man of India. It will be double the height of ‘Statue of Liberty’ in America and four times that of ‘Christ the Redeemer’ in Rio de Janeiro.”
“It is being named ‘Statue of Unity’ as it was the Sardar who had united India at its most trying times after Independence, amalgamating nearly 550 princely states within Union of India, and providing good governance as an able administrator in diverse fields like modern farming and empowerment of tribal communities, besides rebuilding the Somnath Temple.”
“The 182-metre (400 feet) high Statue of Unity will be built on the Sadhu Bet riverbed of the Narmada about 3-km from the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) dam, to be reached in boats. The site will be developed as a pilgrims’ centre for preserving the unity and integrity of India, its rich culture and heritage along with development – as a source of inspiration for ages to come. It will have a high-tech museum, chronicling 90 years history of India’s freedom fighters (1857-1947).”
The statue is being built in tune with Gujarat’s other memorials, such as Mahatma Mandir at Gandhinagar, Krantiguru Shyamaji Krishnavarma Memorial in Mandvi-Kutch, launching broadband connectivity from the venue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s historic Congress session at Haripura near Surat.
