Live updates: Statue of Unity will remind world about courage of man who thwarted attempts to disintegrate India, says PM

PM Narendra Modi will unveil the Statue of Unity - the world’s tallest statue - in Gujarat's Kevadiya on Wednesday. The statue with a height of 182 metres (597 feet) will be inaugurated on the occasion of the 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

AHMEDABAD: Amid protests by local villagers and severe criticism by Opposition parties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the Statue of Unity - the world’s tallest statue - in Gujarat's Kevadiya on Wednesday. The statue with a height of 182 metres (597 feet) has been inaugurated on the occasion of the 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Meanwhile, a 'Run For Unity' is also being held across the country as a fitting tribute to Sardar Patel - the country's first Home Minister.  

Elaborate security arrangements have also been put in place in Kevadiya ahead of the inauguration. Apprehending protests, the Gujarat Police on Tuesday detained several tribal leaders and activists in the Narmada district ahead of the inauguration of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel`s statue. The police went knocking on the doors of several tribal activists and leaders in Kevadia, Rajpipla and Dediapada talukas (blocks), detaining them under IPC 68, fearing disruption of the government programmes on Wednesday.

It may be recalled that the villagers of Kevadia have recently written an open letter to the PM Narendra Modi stating that they won't welcome him during the event on October 31. The letter has been written by headmen of nearly 22 villages situated near the Sardar Sarovar Dam in which they also announced to boycott the event citing widespread destruction of natural resources due to the memorial,

Calling 'Statue of Unity' a sheer wastage of people's money, the villagers said that people's hard-earned money is being wasted on such projects at a time when several villages of the area are still deprived of basic facilities like schools, hospitals and drinking water. The Gujarat Congress also targeted the BJP government and PM Modi over the non-completion of Narmada canal network.

Former Gujarat CM Shankersinh Vaghela too attacked the PM over the 'Statue of Unity' project and said that the PM should first unite vital institutions like the CBI and RBI before talking of unity.

Here are the live updates of the event:-

31 October 2018

12:31 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi signs visitors book at 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Complex' near Statue of Unity

Kevadiya (Gujarat): Prime Minister Narendra Modi signs visitors book at 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Complex' near #StatueOfUnity pic.twitter.com/iusRnhpsRh

— ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2018

12:29 IST

PM Narendra Modi, BJP Chief Amit Shah, Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani and others visit museum and audio-visual gallery at 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Complex' near Statue of Unity at Kevadiya in Gujarat

Kevadiya: PM Narendra Modi, BJP Chief Amit Shah, Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani and others visit museum & audio-visual gallery at 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Complex' near #StatueOfUnity pic.twitter.com/ZdtcnWWuar

— ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2018