Twitterati slam Rs 200 crore in budget for Patel statue

Here is how twitterati reacted to the budget allocation for the Patel statue.

The budget for a 182-meter (nearly 600 feet)-tall replica of Indian independence leader Vallabhbhai Patel caused an outcry, with many people saying the country has far more urgent priorities.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has allocated Rs 200 crore for the Sardar Patel statue project in Gujarat. The proposed project is a colossal iron-and-bronze statue almost twice the size of the Statue of Liberty.

The proposed budget for a 182-meter (nearly 600 feet)-tall replica of Indian independence leader Vallabhbhai Patel caused an outcry, with many people saying the country has far more urgent priorities.

Others lamented how the budget earmarks more money for the Patel statue than for women’s safety nationwide, which got 1.5 billion rupees ($25 million), or the education of young girls at 1 billion rupees ($16.5 million).

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It was the first budget of a new government elected on promises to revive stalled economic growth.

Here is how twitterati reacted to the budget allocation for the Patel statue.

The decision to build a statue for Sardar Patel was a political decision of Modi before elections. Not because of some love of art.

— Dhaakad Tau (@Bawli_Booch) July 10, 2014

Indian right has some nerve calling Patel statue art after they terrorized a true artist like Hussain & forced him into heartbreaking exile.

— Sonia Faleiro (@soniafaleiro) July 10, 2014

100 crore for girl child education. 200 for Sardar Patel statue. #ChaloKoini

— Satbir Singh (@thesatbir) July 10, 2014

#Budget2014 200 crore for largest Sardar Patel statue in Gujrat, 100 crore for tribal welfare, 50 for women’s safety on roads. #Priorities

— Tusha Mittal (@tushamittal) July 10, 2014