New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today New India is ‘China-nirbhar’ (China-dependent) as the Statue of Equality, the 216 feet seated statue of Vaishnaviite Saint Ramanujacharya, is made in China, he claimed.
Rahul’s accusations are based on reports that claimed that the Rs135 crore grand statue, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 5 February, was made by China’s Aersun Corporation. The contract was given in August 2015.
The reports said a major work was carried out in China and the statue was brought to India in 1,600 pieces. The installation took about 15 months. An Indian company was also in the fray to win the bidding of the contract, reports said.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge today criticised Modi for allegedly ‘misusing’ his motion of thanks in Rajya Sabha to badmouth the Congress instead of raising important issues.
‘If you hate Congress, Gandhi Ji, Nehru Ji,or Rahul Ji, say all that outside Parliament. He (PM Modi) dropped our issues of Pegasus, Covid, inflation, etcā¦We werenāt even born when Congress fought and won independence. He misused his motion of thanks and left his principles,’ he added.