New Delhi sources stated that it is four times taller than the Statue of Liberty. Accordingly in fact, that it will give India bragging rights to the world's tallest statue a nearly 600 foot creation that says as much about India's global aspirations as it does about the political ego of its leader and it may seem like a natural choice for an outsize tribute.
Accordingly India's new Statue of Unity, to be formally unveiled Wednesday, depicts Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, an independence-era leader credited with uniting the fledgling nation in the 1940s when he served as India's first home minister, but the homage to Patel has far deeper symbolism. Reports added Patel, known as India's "Iron Man," has become a right-wing icon for Hindu nationalists and the statue's location, in the western state of Gujarat, has been the site of some of the fiercest clashes between Hindus and Muslims in past decades.
Moreover the $408 million gold-colored colossus also spills over into present day politics. Furthermore it is seen as a trifecta for Prime Minister Narendra Modi: a nod to his Hindu political base, a landmark site in his home state, and a showcase of the nation's growing prosperity and status as a rising global power. Further Hindol Sengupta, author of a Patel biography, said projects such as the statue are PM Modi's way of trumpeting India's ascent.
