Blaming Congress party to be behind the mass exodus of migrants from Gujarat, Pradipsinh Jadeja, Gujarat Minister of State, said that all out efforts are being made to bring about normalcy in the state.

“Efforts are also afoot and it is our duty to provide protection to the migrants in Gujarat from any part of the country as they are also contributing to the development of the state,” said Jadeja.

He charged that politics had prevailed over the mass exodus, where Congress party had provoked the migrants to return to their native states creating fear of reprisal from locals following the rape of a 14-month old baby by a migrant labour in Sabarekanta.

“We have booked around 50 cases and arrested more than 500 people. The miscreants who had used social media to spread panic amongst the migrants with an objective to stir violence and force them to flee are also being booked for offence under IT Act” he said.

The minister was here in Shimla along with the Gujarat Government representatives, to invite the people of Himachal to visit Gujrat to see the World’s tallest statue about 182 metre of the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Addressing media persons here on Friday, Gujrat Minister of State Pradipsinh Jadeja said that the statute will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 31 October.

“The Statue of Unity project was set into motion around five years ago, when Narendra Modi was the then chief minister of Gujarat. He had laid its foundation stone and it is all set to be inaugurated on October 31, on the 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

The statue, which is the tallest statue in the world, twice of the size of Statue of Liberty will be the pride of Gujarat, he said.

He made a special invitation to Gujaratis residing in Himachal Pradesh to come down to Gujarat to see the marvel, a tribute to the ‘Iron Man of India’.

“We have also invited Governor Acharaya Devvrat and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to visit Gujrat to see the world’s tallest statute,” said he.

The memorial not only realizes Modi’s dream, but also propagates the ideals of modern Indian nationhood that Sardar Patel and his epochal contributions represent, he added.

He informed that the project has been completed under the leadership of Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and the responsibility of constructing has been shouldered by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Ekta Trust (SVPRET).

Situated on Sadhu-Bet, an island in the river Narmada, the statue stands tall between the picturesque mountain ranges of Saputara and Vindhyachal near Kevadiya.

“More than 15,000 tourists are expected to visit the place on a daily basis,” he said, adding that besides this marvel, the other attractions that will provide an incredible experience to visit are Sardar Sarovar Dam, Projection Mapping, the Hydropower station, 17 km long Valley of Flowers, Tent city, and the Forest walking trails.

He said that the statue is unique as it has been constructed from around 1, 70,000 pieces of iron farming implements contributed by villagers from several parts of the country.

These implements will be symbolic of the cooperation and contribution of farmers from across India towards the construction of this wonder, he added.