Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the 182-metre high ‘Statue of Unity’ in honour of country’s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and dedicated it to the nation.
Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy, the veteran Communist leader demanded to know why a bigger statue of Mahatma Gandhi was not built by the BJP. He stated “they (BJP) do not like his (Gandhi’s) secularism, that is why they have not taken up (build his statue). Instead, they have gone for Patel, who had rightist ideas.”
He said that here was no objection over the monument built for Sardar Patel, what was surprising was why a bigger statue for the father of the nation, who was also born in Gujarat.
He further stated that “We have no objection to Sardar Patel’s statue. With all due respect to him (Patel), we feel Mahatma Gandhi is the tallest leader of Indian politics, Indian people, he is the father of the nation.”
“Mahatma Gandhi’s statue should have been bigger, he is the leader of the highest stature than anybody else,” he said.