Kumar, Yogi Plan to Install New Vajpayee Statues in Patna, UP

On Vajpayee’s 94th birthday, Nitish Kumar and Yogi announced their plans to install his statue in Patna, Lucknow.

Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

(Photo: PTI)

In a move to commemorate former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s 94th birth anniversary, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday, 25 December, told the media that his government planned on installing a statue of Vajpayee in Patna. Vajpayee passed away on 16 August.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Kumar said that a location for the prospective statue would be decided on soon. However, he didn’t disclose any further details like the cost and height of the statue.

Kumar’s announcement followed a similar one put forth by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath earlier on Tuesday, where, speaking at an event organised at Lok Bhawan, he said that a 21-metre tall statue of Vajpayee would be built inside the Bhawan, India Today reported.

“I pay tribute to the former PM on behalf of people of the state. He made ground for sushasan [good governance] in the country after our country got independence. In 1990, when a major population was starving due to lack of food, it was Atal ji who introduced the ration facility effectively so that they can get food. We will be installing 21-metre tall statue of Atal ji.”

Yogi Adityanath, as reported by <i>India Today </i>

Both Kumar and Yogi’s statement came on the same day that Sadaiv Atal, a memorial of Vajpayee, was dedicated to the nation. Floral tributes were paid to the former prime minister at the memorial, which was built near the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in Delhi, where his mortal remains were consigned to flames on 17 August, by dignatories such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ramnath Kovind, the report added.

(With inputs from The Indian Express and India Today)