The Statue of Unity could not unite the Opposition - Seeker's Thoughts

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The Statue of Unity could not unite the Opposition

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What is the Statue of Unity?
Statue of Unity is touted to be the world’s tallest on the Narmada River.  This is to pay the tribute to Sardar Patel on his birth anniversary.
Sardar Patel was crucial leader who unified the country  after the independence. The statue took 3000 crore to be build. It will add symbolic and rhetorical pride among Indians.

Remembering Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel
During 1947, it was a critical time for India’s history. Colonial rule was about to end so was the partition of India was sure. There were various princely states who considered themselves as a separate nation. To bring them in India was a tough task – this tough task was performed by the ‘Iron-Man’ of India.
Sardar Patel was a veteran administrator. His own experience in governance, particularly in the 1920s, when he served the Ahmedabad municipality, was extremely handy when he worked towards strengthening independent India’s administrative framework. While in Ahmedabad, he did commendable work in furthering cleanliness in the city. He ensured clean and functioning drainage systems across the city. He also focussed on other aspects of urban infrastructure such as roads, electricity and education.
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Idea of Cooperative Societies
Today, if India is known for a vibrant cooperative sector, a large part of the credit goes to Sardar Patel. The roots of Amul can be traced back to his vision for empowering local communities, particularly women. It was Sardar Patel who also popularized the idea of cooperative housing societies, thus ensuring dignity and shelter for many.

Trust and Integrity
Two traits synonymous with Sardar Patel are trust and integrity. The farmers of India had unparalleled faith in him. He led from the front during the Bardoli Satyagraha. The working class saw him as a ray of hope, a leader who would speak up for them. Traders and industrialists preferred to work with Sardar Patel because they felt here was a stalwart who had a vision for India’s economic and industrial growth.
His political peers too trusted him. Acharya Kripalani remarked that whenever they faced an issue and if Bapu’s guidance was not available, they would turn to Sardar Patel. When political negotiations were at their peak in 1947, Sarojini Naidu called him “the man of decision and man of action.” 
Everyone trusted him, his words and his actions. Sardar Patel continues to be respected across caste, creed, faith, age!

Who Built it?
The statue was designed by Padma Vibhushan winning sculptor Ram V Sutar. It took 250 engineers and 3400 labourers to construct the statue in 33 months.

The Criticism
Opposition and some critiques have called the statue as political vanity project. The world’s tallest statue is in Spring Temple Buddha in China which is not among top 10 tourist attractions of China. The cost of Statue is higher while the country has already been facing huge economic challenges. The revenue generated through tourism would not also be enough- as claimed by people who do not stand with the decision of building the statue of Unity. Even there are various monuments which need money to be saved. Therefore, basically people objected with their reasons.

The government’s Response

The government has responded that remembering country’s great personality is not a crime.