Modi promises Vidyasagar statue at 'same spot'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday promised a "grand statue" of 19th century reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar at the same spot where his bust was vandalized in Kolkata.

A bust of Vidyasagar had been vandalized during the violence that took place during BJP President Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress have been blaming each other for the incident.

Addressing a rally in Mau district, the Prime Minister said" "We saw hooliganism by Trinamool Congress workers again during Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata. They vandalized Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's statue. Such people should face strong action."

Acknowledging the fact that Vidyasagar has immense emotional value for the people of Bengal, he said: "We will install the statue made of ‘panch dhatu' (five metals) at the same place where the earlier status was installed. We are committed to Vidyasagar's vision."

The Election Commission, which has curtailed campaigning in Bengal, has said it was "deeply anguished at the vandalism done to the statue" of an icon who, "besides his many other achievements as a philosopher, academic educator, writer and philanthropist, worked all his life in the cause of widow remarriage which was unthought and unheard of in the ultraconservative society in those days".

The Prime Minister also took a dig at the SP-BSP alliance and said that ticket to contest the Lok Sabha elections had been given to one who was absconding after being booked for rape.

"SP has this history in UP, people know, but Behenji will you seek votes for such candidates?" he asked Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati. IANS