India Plans Statue to Rival Liberty

MUMBAI—The government of the Indian state of Maharashtra plans to build a statue off the coast of Mumbai that will rival the Statue of Liberty in height and scale, Suna News Agency reports. The statue is to be built on a man-made island that will house a library, a museum, and an amphiteater in addition to the the bronze sculpture of Maratha warrior king Shivaji.

Critics say that the $4.5 million project is too expensive and that Maharashtra is facing much more pressing problems, like a food, water, and power crisis. Others say that promises to build the statue are a ploy to win local support ahead of elections by Shiv Sena, a militant right-wing group that has adopted King Shivaji as its icon. Government officials say they hope that when complete, the island will be an important tourist spot that will teach visitors about the king, who ruled from 1674 to 1680.