Statue of Equality project was launched when Cong was in power: Union minister
Union culture minister G Kishan Reddy was responding to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s jibe at the Centre’s Atmanirbhar Bharat policy
NEW DELHI: Union culture minister G Kishan Reddy on Wednesday said the project to build the Statue of Equality, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated in Hyderabad last week, was launched over eight years ago when Congress was in power both at the Centre and in the state. He pointed out that the project preceded Modi’s call for Atmanirbhar Bharat or self-reliant policy.
Reddy was responding to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s jibe at the policy. In a tweet, Gandhi said the 216-feet statue of 11th Century saint Ramanujacharya was made in China. “New India’ is China-nirbhar [China reliant],” Gandhi tweeted.
Gandhi’s tweet followed reports that major work on the statue was carried out in China and it was brought to India in 1,600 pieces. The installation took about 15 months.
Reddy said the funds for the statue were raised privately with no financial support from the Centre. He added Gandhi’s comment “only exposes his own ignorance and shallowness”. Reddy said by “blabbering without knowing facts he [Gandhi] continues to sink himself and reduce his party to dust.”