150-feet tall Bapu statue planned in Muzaffarpur

MUZAFFARPUR: A 150-feet tall statue of Mahatma Gandhi is proposed to be built on the premises of Gandhi Swaraj Ashram at Kamalpura village under the Paroo police station area in Muzaffarpur district to mark the 150th birth anniversary of the father of the nation.

Gandhi had established the ashram in the village with the help of one of his associates, Radha Mohan Singh, during his visit to Champaran in 1934.

Singh’s grandson Ranu Nilam Shankar, a social worker, said the foundation of the statue would be laid in January next year. “It was my dream to make the tallest Gandhi statue in the world. I am hopeful that with the help of locals and some Gandhian philosophers from across the globe, I will be able to fulfil my dream. People have welcomed my move and assured me of every help in my endeavour,” Shankar said.

He added, “We are not going to seek any help from the government. The statue will be built with people’s participation. We have launched a campaign, ‘Abhiyan Sarthi’, to seek support from people of Kamalpura in Muzaffarpur to Durban in South Africa.”

Asked why Kamalpura was chosen for installation of the statue, Shankar said Gandhi had established Swaraj Asharam in the village to serve the deprived people of the region after the devastating earthquake in 1934. He said the state government should include the route covered by Gandhi during his satyagrah movement – Vaishali to Bettiah – in Gandhi circuit.

Notably, CM Nitish Kumar had inaugurated a 72-feet tall statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Gandhi Maidan in Patna on February 15, 2013.

Gandhi had established ashram at Kamalpura village on 16 katthas of land donated by one Dhuni Singh. According to locals, Dhuni Singh had donated the land for establishment of the ashram as he was fascinated with the work of Gandhi’s associate Radha Mohan Singh.