Gandhinagar: Gujarat government today hit out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his statement about the statue of unity of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel being erected on an island in river Narmada in Central Gujarat as the tallest statue in the world, saying that his terming it as ‘made in China’ was baseless and low class politics showing his ignorance and lack of knowledge and study about the project.

Addressing a press conference here Dy CM Nitin Patel said that what Rahul Gandhi has said reflects the mentality of Gandhi-Nehru family that never wanted to give credit to the achievements of Sardar Patel who unified the nation.

He said that the statute was being built by a reputed Indian company L&T after winning a global tender. ‘Most of the materials used for it including 70000 ton cement, 18500 ton reinforced steel, 6000 ton structured steel, 1700 ton copper has also been taken from India including the collection of old iron equipment used for cultivation collected from farmers all across India. Only 1700 ton bronze meant for giving outer coat to the statue has been procured from China as none of the Indian companies supply it. If taking a small amount of the material which is not available in India from outside meant that it was made in China then we can assume that Rahul Gandhi is also an Italian because some portion of his blood was of Italian origin and though it is none of my subject but Congress should also think why it has made a person with mixed blood as its president,’ he said.

The Gandhi Nehru family which did not like to recognize the contribution of Sardar Patel and liked to portray that the independence of India was just the achievement of this one family is now doing this low-politics, he said.

Patel said, ‘Rather than commending PM Modi for this colossal project which would keep the memory of Sardar Patel alive in the hearts and minds of people for thousands of years and feeling proud about it, Rahul is now doing this low class politics. Gujarat Congress should also come forward to condemn this statement.’

Notably, Gandhi in an election rally in Chitrakoot today said that the 182 meters tall statue of unity would have ‘Made in-China’ written on it like many other items including shoes that we use.

The statue is likely to be dedicated to the nation on October 31 on his birth anniversary. It is a pet project of PM Modi who as the then CM of Gujarat envisaged it.

DeshGujarat