The Statue of Unity — A groundless Criticism
The Statue of Unity which was brought to the world by the Modi led government was not taken in the right manner within or outside the country. I always say this because there is a purpose which is misunderstood. The amount of money spent on its construction has become a massive issue for people and opposition.
Before I start this, let me tell you that I was not a BJP supporter until the last election.
Let’s now start with the criticisms that the Statue of Unity came across in its five months of existence.
As it happens in politics, the opposition always has something in their box of critiques. The Congress party has it too. These voices from Congress were a cacophony for the nation. It all started with their argument, “Why not Nehru?”.
Well, it is a known fact that all other tall stature leaders including Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel were sidelined to maintain Nehru and Gandhi relationship. Also, there are various statues, parks, and properties in the name of Gandhi and Nehru leaders who did not come to limelight ever. On the other end, the BJP has always credited and appreciated nation heroes in whichever field or aspect rather than applauding the party leaders. This is the main line of difference that exists between the parties.
This is truly age of ‘bhakti’ or hero worship! The many voices who attacked Mayawati for building Ambedkar statues and Nehru Gandhis for building family memorials are now finding unique ways to endorse Patel statue! Isse kehte hain Mumbai mein ‘double dholki’!! #StatueOfUnity
- Citizen/नागरिक/Dost Rajdeep (@sardesairajdeep) October 31, 2018
The international criticism came from the UK parliament where the Statue was judged critically. India received an investment of around 1.17 million as a donation towards foreign aid. And the parliament members of the UK believe that if India can afford a statue worth $404 million, why do they need any donation or aid? And further, the Statue was termed as nonsense and a waste of money.
However, the funds for the statue came from some government companies including Oil and Natural Gas Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum. Also, the Statue is not any luxury but a tourist spot which will eventually add to the country’s income. The government had a long-term agenda and it knew where the money was spent and how can it be recovered.
The third and important criticism came from the citizens of the country. There were numerous questions that were laid down on Twitter and other social media platforms. For instance, the money could have been spent on other challenges like poverty, malnutrition, climate change, pollution and so on.
I agree that there are other serious challenges in the country. But, how can they be related to the country’s infrastructure? If the government does not spend on infrastructure, they are questioned. Now, if they have, they are questioned again. I think, we need clarity in our own minds and keep it open for major changes.
Okay, so we have gone through the critics and the related arguments. Now let me elaborate and come up with a few practical answers to the criticisms.
First, as the Congress government raised about why was the Statue built? If we understand the reason behind it, it will eventually generate income for the country. The Statue of Unity witnessed approximately 1.28 lakh tourist within its first eleven days.
The tourism Principal Secretary, S J Haider reported that more than 10,000 tourists visited the Statue on the first day itself. He added that the number of tourists has increased since November 1, 2018. The revenue generated from 2.79 tourists through the tickets in the initial months was 6.38 crores. We can see how swift is the returns and the project has been a massive success for the BJP government.
Second, the amount invested would have used in other areas like malnutrition, poverty and so on. The amount raised for the Statue was an investment from companies like ONGC and HP from their CSR budget. The issues that the country is witnessing has a separate budget which should be taken into consideration. Moreover, the revenue generated from the tourist destination will eventually be used for other critical aspects. It’s all about the circulation of money and not that the investment won’t be recovered.
At the current pace, we can witness the amount of returns. Let’s be positive about the entire recovery will happen in the coming years. There have been railway projects, accommodation and infrastructure development taking place in the nearest villages and cities to attract the tourists. This will eventually boost the number of visitors and easy returns on the investment soon.
The number of jobs created was numbered to 4,500 labors who built this 182-meter-tall statue. However, there are people who have been affected by this. But, the government of Gujarat has pledged jobs for those who are affected. The December stats show that approximately 400 people were already employed in the valley of flowers project.
There are two sides to every coin. The statue would have some negative impacts too. But, we have to agree that the positive side weighs much more than the other side. India has never seen healthy politics so far and the criticisms that came from the opposition were expected. Nevertheless, we should not forget that the Statue of Liberty was built in 1885 when the country was witnessing depression.
If the critics say that the money should have been used for some other challenges, we should not have any tourist attractions at all. Why not use the amount in other issues? Why do we maintain our tourist destinations? What is the point in doing this? It’s simply to generate revenue out of these attractions.
The statue of unity has triggered development in nearby villages and cities. This is the way how it works. Development is an integral part of any economy which has tied edges to other aspects as well. Rather than criticizing such a massive step, it should be acknowledged with pride. There was a full effort from the opposition in a down turning the statue. But, it was welcomed by the majority of the citizens bowing to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for his sacrifices and fight for the country.
Originally published at http://thehybridblog.com on May 8, 2019.
