india

Updated: Jan 19, 2019 23:45 IST

Police carried out a baton-charge to disperse a group of tribals protesting the foundation-laying ceremony of Haryana Bhavan in the vicinity of Statue of Unity in Gujarat’s Kevadiya on Saturday.

After the 182-meter statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was inaugurated last year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, many states had agreed to build bhavans in its vicinity.

While Haryana CM Manoharlal Khattar presided over the ceremony, the police arrested 140 persons to prevent them from disrupting the proceedings. Haryana has become the first state to start construction work for the bhavan.

``Police had to resort to a lathi-charge following stone pelting from their side’’, said a police spokesperson from Narmada district.

As this world’s tallest statue is fast emerging as popular tourist attraction, construction of bhavans by other states to provide facilities like lodging and boarding will further boost tourism.

However, local tribals, especially residents of Kevadiya, Garudeshwar and couple of other surrounding villages, have been up in arms against the project from the very beginning. They alleged while many displaced due to Sardar Sarovar Dam construction, which the statue overlooks, are yet to be properly rehabilitated, the construction of roads and other infrastructure is further taking away their land and destroying the environment.

``Kevadiya gram sabha on December 27, 2018 had passed resolution that no state will be allowed to construct anything in the area. Today’s event was violation of resolution passed by the village,” Praful Vasava, founder of Adivasi Zamin Bacahao Andolan, who was among the 140 detainees, said.