PM Modi unveils peasant leader Sir Chhotu Ram's statue

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a 64-foot-tall statue of peasant leader Sir Chhotu Ram at his native village Sampla in Haryana's Rohtak district on Tuesday.

After unveiling the statue, Modi paid floral tribute to the peasant leader and visited a museum built in his memory. There, Modi watched a four-minute documentary on the life of Sir Chhotu Ram.

Sir Chhotu Ram, who was born on November 24, 1881, was regarded as a messiah of peasants and was instrumental in empowering farmers in the pre-Independence era and getting a pro-farmers law enacted. He had fought for farmers' rights during the British rule.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Birender Singh, Union Minister and maternal grandson of Sir Chhotu Ram, were present at the event, besides state ministers Ram Bilas Sharma and Captain Abhimanyu, and Congress MP Deepender Hooda.

Renowned sculptor and Padma Bhushan-recipient Ram Vanji Sutar sculpted the 64-foot-tall statue.

As many as 5,500 farmers of the state donated iron metal, ranging from half-a-kg to two kgs for the construction of the statue.

The unveiling of the statue assumes significance as elections to Lok Sabha and Haryana Assembly are slated for early next year.