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In the middle of the controversy over a cricket stadium in Gujarat which is renamed after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government on Wednesday mentioned that the name change involves only the Motera stadium. However, the whole sports complex continues to be named after Sardar Patel.
After President Ram Nath Kovind inauguration of the world’s largest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad which will be named Narendra Modi Stadium, social media was flooded with remarks which involve some leaders of Congress along with other opposition parties who alleged that the renaming exercise amounted to an “insult” to Sardar Patel.
When Union Minister Prakash Javadekar was asked about the allegation, he informed the reporters that Motera Stadium has been renamed and the complex continues to have the name of Vallabhbhai Patel.
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has presented alongside Javadekar at the media briefing after the cabinet meeting. He also took a swipe at the Congress Leaders by asking whether party Chief Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi who has so far praised the world’s tallest statue of Sardar Patel erected at Kevadiya in Gujarat.
Javadekar mentioned that the two Congress leaders who have not even visited the statue.
Prasad continued, “I want to say this with full responsibility that a tourist place getting global praise has not been visited yet or praised by the two Congress leaders. What else is there to say?”
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor tweeted: “Maybe they just realised the stadium was named for a Home Minister who had banned their parent organisation! Or maybe this is advance booking to ensure the next visiting Head of State is hosted here, like Trump? Or is this the beginning of a legacy-creation-thru-labelling spree?”
Rajeev Satav said: “Renaming Motera cricket stadium from Sardar Patel to Narendra Modi is an absolute disgrace. This shows how narcissistic our PM has become. This is outrageous and a clear sign of autocratic dictatorship.”
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, without directly talking about the stadium, tweeted a Hindi quote of Sardar Patel: “There is something unique in this soil, which has always been the abode of great souls despite many obstacles.”
