India unveiled the world's largest statue Wednesday, standing at nearly 600 feet tall. The "Statue of Unity" is of Sardar Patel, who helped unite India during its struggle for independence from Britain.
The largest statue up until this point was China's Spring Temple Buddha, coming in at 420 feet. India's record-breaking monument is about double the height of the Statue of Liberty.
CNN reports the statue was seen as a personal project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who announced its creation in 2010. It cost $460 million to build, according to ABC News. Some of the funding reportedly came from Modi's government.
That's lead to protests from critics who call the statue propaganda and a waste of government money. The Indian Express reports the union commerce minister accused the prime minister of, quote, "trying to brazenly usurp the rich legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel."
Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN.
