India budgets more for statue than women’s safety

NEWDELHI— In a country grappling with poverty, sluggish growth and a daunting deficit, India’s new budget has set aside 2 billion rupees ($33 million US) for a colossal iron-and-bronze statue almost twice the size of the Statue of Liberty.

The plans in Thursday’s budget for a 182-metre-tall replica of Indian independence leader Vallabhbhai Patel caused an outcry, with many people saying the country has far more urgent priorities.

“How can they waste money on statue like that?” asked Rohtash, a vegetable vendor. “The government could have used that money to reduce the price of rice. That would have been some help for poor people like us.” It was the first budget of a new government elected on promises to revive stalled economic growth.

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 girls at 1 billion rupees ($16.5 million).

Prakash Singh/Getty Images India’s Home Minister, Rajnath Singh walks past a photograph of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. A planned $33 million statue of the independence leader has caused an outcry in the South Asian country.