“Some unknown person placed an advertisement... stating he needs to sell the Statue of Unity for ₹30,000 crore” to meet the government’s fight against the coronavirus.

A case was registered against an unknown person in Gujarat for placing an online advertisement to “sell” the Statue of Unity in Kevadiya in Narmada district for ₹30,000 crore to meet the government’s expenses for hospitals and medical infrastructure to fight the coronavirus outbreak.

The memorial to Sardar Patel, at 182 metres, is the world’s tallest such structure, and has attracted several lakh people since it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018.

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“Some unknown person placed an advertisement on OLX on Saturday stating he needs to sell the Statue of Unity for ₹30,000 crore to meet the requirement of money to buy hospitals and healthcare equipment,” a Kevadiya police station official said quoting the FIR.

The Statue of Unity at Kevadia in Narmada district of Gujarat. | Photo Credit: PTI

“The memorial authorities came to know of the issue after a newspaper ran an article, and approached police. A cheating and forgery case was registered under IPC, Epidemic Diseases Act and Information Technology Act,” Inspector P.T. Chaudhary said.

Soon after it was posted, the advertisement was taken off the website.

“Despite him not being authorised to sell government property, this unidentified person posted the advertisement on OLX to defame the government and mislead people,” stated a release from the chief administrator of the Statue of Unity.

Such an advertisement hurts the sentiments of the several crore people who idolise Sardar Patel, it added.