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[Angrboda]

India puts the finishing touches on its ‘Iron Man,’ a statue four times as big Lady Liberty

India’s new Statue of Unity, which will be formally unveiled Wednesday, depicts Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, an independence-era leader credited with uniting the fledgling nation in the 1940s when he served as India’s first home minister.

But the homage to Patel has far deeper symbolism.

Patel, known as India’s “Iron Man,” has become a right-wing icon for Hindu nationalists. And the statue is located in the western state of Gujarat, which has been the site of some of the fiercest clashes between Hindus and Muslims in past decades.

Modi inaugurates world's tallest statue in India
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a ceremony Oct. 31 to unveil the world's tallest statue, which is nearly 600 feet tall and valued at $408 million. (Reuters)

The $408 million gold-colored colossus also spills over into ­present-day politics. It is considered a trifecta for Prime Minister Narendra Modi: a nod to his Hindu political base, a landmark site in his home state, and a showcase of the nation’s growing prosperity and status as a rising global power.