By A legal case has been filed after a social media post claimed that the Statue of Unity in Gujarat, a tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, was showing signs of structural damage. The post, shared on X (formerly Twitter) on September 8, alleged that cracks were appearing on the 182-meter tall statue and that it could collapse at any moment.
False Claims and Legal Response
The post, written in Hindi, included an outdated photograph from the statue’s construction phase. It has since been removed by the user. A case has been registered under Section 353 (1) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), which deals with the spreading of false information intended to cause public fear.
Abhishek Ranjan Sinha, Deputy Collector of the Statue of Unity Area Development and Tourism Governance Authority, filed the complaint. The FIR states that the false claims were intended to incite fear and disturb public peace.
Statue’s Popularity and Significance
Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October 2018, the Statue of Unity is a major tourist attraction, drawing large crowds to Kevadia in Narmada district.
