'Statue of Equality, made in China': Rahul Gandhi's jibe after PM Modi's event

Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a gigantic statue of Ramanujacharya, dubbed the Statue of Equality, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a jibe at the PM. Ramanujacharya was an 11th-century Hindu saint.

Mocking the government's 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' plan for greater domestic manufacturing, Gandhi tweeted, "Statue of Equality is Made in China. 'New India' is China-nirbhar?"

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According to information on the website of the project, the 216-foot-tall statue was made by a Chinese corporation called Aerosun. The contract was awarded to the Chinese firm in 2015, as per reports.

The statue had been inaugurated at a mega ceremony in Telangana's Hyderabad on February 5. Subsequently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had also visited the monument to offer prayers.

The statue is mounted on 'Bhadra Vedi', a building which has a Vedic digital library and research centre, ancient Indian texts, a theatre, and an educational gallery. The structure was reportedly conceptualised by Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swami of Sri Ramanujacharya Ashram.

The unveiling of the statue was part of the 1000th birth anniversary celebrations of the saint.