Every institution built by Sardar Patel is being smashed: Rahul Gandhi

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday accused the government of "treason", saying there was a "systematic destruction" of institutions that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had helped build.
His remarks came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the 'Statue of Unity' of Patel in Gujarat.

The 182-metre statue, the world's tallest, has been built on an islet near the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Narmada district. It is twice the height of the Statue of Liberty in the US. Taking a swipe at Modi, the Congress chief tweeted, "Ironic that a statue of Sardar Patel is being inaugurated, but every institution he helped build is being smashed." "The systematic destruction of India's institutions is nothing short of treason," he said. In another tweet, Gandhi said Patel was a patriot, who fought for a independent, united and secular India. "A man with a steely will, tempered by compassion, he was a Congressman to the core, who had no tolerance for bigotry or communalism. On his birth anniversary, I salute this great son of India," he tweeted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated an imposing 182-metre statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel here and said the world's tallest monument will serve as a reminder about his courage to thwart conspiracy to disintegrate India. He used the occasion to slam those criticising the decision to build the monument, questioning whether any crime had been committed by constructing such memorials for national heroes like Patel.

The giant monument, named as the 'Statue of Unity' and built on an islet Sadhu Bet near Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat's Narmada district, is twice the height of the Statue of Liberty in the US and taller than the 153-metre Spring Temple Buddha in China. The monument was conceptualised by Modi during his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister and he had laid the foundation stone for it in 2013.
Patel, the first Home Minister of Independent India, is credited with merging 550 princely states into the Union of India. He had used force to annex princely states of Junagadh ruled by Nawab and Hyderabad ruled by nizam, both of whom had wished not to merge their states with the India union.

Wednesday's ceremony, which coincided with the 143rd birth anniversary of Patel, also known as the 'Iron man of India, was attended by Gujarat Governor O P Kohli, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and BJP chief Amit Shah besides a number of other leaders hailing from Gujarat. The function was marked by a flypast by Air Force planes and helicopters and a cultural show. Built at a cost of Rs 2,989 crore, the height of the statue is 182 metres, including the base of 25 metres.

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