Letter.

Letter Published in The National UAE on 4Nov 18

We should honour our leaders with deeds, not just statues On the one hand, I applaud the gesture of India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, for erecting the tallest statue in the world for the freedom fighter, Saradar Patel who brought unity to the country. On the other hand, political critics are, perhaps rightly, pouring scorn on Mr Modi, given the backdrop of recent developments in India. The cost factor is of great importance and thus far lacks clarity. The statue has created job opportunities for people during the almost two and half years of construction. But if the cost rises to Dh1.5 billion, which was mooted, that is unacceptable. However, money aside, Sardar Patel deserves to stand tall in his home town for his extraordinary achievements.K Ragavan, Bengaluru