The 182-metre-tall 'Statue of Unity' on Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat's Kevadia was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday. The Gujarat government hopes to boost tourism in the area with the statue of Sardar Patel, now the tallest in the world. But locals, especially tribals, displaced by the project say it has not contributed to the development in the area. While the 'Statue of Unity', built at a cost of nearly 3000 crore, maybe debatable for the economics aspect, it is definitely good politics. The larger-than-life statue could be aimed at changing the political narrative with an eye on the 2019 general elections.
