Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to reveal a 72-foot statue of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, one of the co-founders of the BJP's precursor, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, in New Delhi on September 25. The statue, made of brass, will be installed in a park named after Upadhyaya, situated opposite the BJP headquarters on Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg in Delhi.
The sculpture will portray Upadhyaya in his traditional attire, including a kurta, dhoti, and a sleeveless jacket. It's worth noting that September 25 also marks the birth anniversary of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, who drafted the Jan Sangh's political doctrine. Artisans have been diligently working on crafting this statue for several months.
The Prime Minister is expected to inaugurate the statue at 7 pm today that is September 25. In a similar gesture, in 2020, Prime Minister Modi unveiled a 63-foot statue of Upadhyaya in Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency at the time. This statue, made of 'pancha loha,' was, until now, the tallest statue of the BJP ideologue in the country. Over 200 artisans dedicated almost a year to complete the Varanasi statue, with approximately 30 Odisha craftsmen and artists contributing to the project.
About Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya
Born in 1916 in Mathura, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya was not only associated with the RSS but also played a pivotal role as one of the founding members of the Jan Sangh. In 1948, he launched 'Panchjanya,' which continues to serve as the official mouthpiece of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Upadhyaya's philosophies of 'integral humanism' and 'antyodaya' (the upliftment of the most deprived) have been frequently endorsed by Prime Minister Modi as guiding principles for his government's welfare initiatives. In internal party meetings, leaders such as Amit Shah and JP Nadda have often referenced Upadhyaya's remarkable journey from being a foot soldier to becoming the party president.
