“Heroes are not giant statues framed against a red sky. They are people who say: This is my community, and it’s my responsibility to make it better.” –Tom McCall
Located on the islet Sandhu Bet, on the bed of the river Narmada, the Statue of Unity which commemorates the 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhai Patel is primarily a Statue of Controversy. Sardar Patel is often seen as the ‘unsung hero’ who consolidated India in its period of turmoil during his term as India’s first Minister of Home Affairs. While the idea of celebrating Sardar Patel’s efforts is commendable, the execution of the whole project is entirely against the values and principles Sardar Patel stood for.
The Modi government advocated for the construction of this approximately Rs. 2989 Crore statue with the promise of employment for the locals and generation of mass revenue for the tourism industry to push forth “sustainable development”. Yet when the figures are actually estimated, the return of this massive investment through tourism can only happen over the gestation period of 3 centuries. Furthermore, the United Nations says that “sustainable tourism increases environmental outcomes and promotes local cultures”. But given the statue’s lack of environmental checks and its displacement of local populations, it is hard to see how this project fulfils these goals. Evidently the purpose of constructing this statue is to make a statement to the Opposition parties, particularly the Nehru-Gandhi led Congress, and the International Community.
The statue of the Iron Man of India is actually made of bronze imported from China, providing employment to 1500 Chinese workers leading to loss of job opportunities for some locals. The bronze cladding work was contracted out by Larsen & Toubro, the engineering firm that has built the statue and surrounding complex, to Chinese foundry Jiangxi Tongqing Metal Handicrafts. Besides this, United States based Turner Construction Company, which previously built the Burj Khalifa, was hired to work on the project. Evidently, the government does not wholly cater to its “Make in India” policy.
Another major impact the tallest statue in the world has is on its surrounding environment, particularly the Narmada River and its inhabitants. The government has proposed to convert a pond surrounding the statue into a seaplane, endangering the pond’s many crocodiles. In fact, efforts have already been made by the forest department to remove these crocodiles, which is in violation of the principles enlisted in the Wildlife Protection Act. This huge project which is situated at the center of the river would require certain environmental clearances due to the obvious impact on the course of the river. No such clearance was sought or given, clearly showing that the government will go to any lengths in order to be mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Sardar Patel stood for good governance but the Statue is displacing thousands of people. Sardar Patel pushed for the development of the Agricultural sector, yet the main source of irrigation for many farmers has been taken away. The Statue of Unity is another attempt of the Modi government at repackaging the designated brand ambassador of Indian Nationalism.
Bibliography
The Wire, "Reconfiguring India's Nationalism, One Grand Statue at a Time."
Quartz, "India now has the world's tallest statue, burnished by China."
This article has been coedited by Nandika Jhunjhunwala.
