Instead of building statues, govt should focus on education, health: AAP

Bhopal: Days after Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's statue, the tallest in the world, was unveiled in Gujarat, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today said instead of installing such statues, the government should focus on key issues like poverty alleviation, improving education and health care.

"After the installation of the world's tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has proposed to build a 151-metre tall statue of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. A sudden competition is taking place in the country on the issue," National spokesman AAP and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said.

Instead of installing such tall statues, the tax-payers' hard-earned money should be spent on ending poverty and unemployment, improving education and health care, which are major problems faced by the nation, he added.

The AAP leader cited an example of the 210-metre statue of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji's proposed to be built in the Arabian sea off Mumbai, and asked whether spending huge money on such projects was necessary when the country was grappling with several serious issues.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently unveiled the 182-metre statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at Kevadiya in Narmada district of Gujarat.

"The country will achieve nothing from this kind of competition as tomorrow someone else may construct a 250-metre statue of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar or 300-metre statue of Maharana Pratap," Mr Singh said.

When asked about AAP's poll prospects in Madhya Pradesh, he said his party has bright chances as the Congress was "not an alternative" to the ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh.

"If AAP is voted to power, we will implement the Delhi government model in MP in sectors like power, water, health and education," he said.