Political storm over statue

The 62-foot Hanuman statue that was being transported from Kolar to east Bengaluru, leaving traffic snarls in its wake, reached its destination – a plot adjacent to the Ayodhya Rama Temple Complex in Kacharakanahalli – but not before high drama.

The Revenue Department on Monday said that installation of the 750-tonne statue was in violation of a High Court order. But their initial refusal to allow the statue to enter the plot gave rise to a political storm with the BJP claiming that the ruling Congress MLA K.J. George was trying to delay its installation. The situation became increasingly tense as thousands of people gathered at the spot.

The transportation of the statue has not gone down well with motorists, especially after a stretch of road below the Railway Under Bridge (RUB) on Hennur Main Road was dug up.

Stand of officials

K.A. Dayanand, DC, Bengaluru (Urban) visited the spot along with Muzrai officials and objected to the statue being taken to the temple. “In 2015, the temple was taken over by Muzrai Department. The move was challenged by the Temple Trust. The High Court ruled for maintaining status quo. Taking the statue to the temple complex will be a violation of that order and will be contempt of court,” said Mr. Dayanand.

The statue has been temporarily housed in a plot adjoining the temple complex (Survey number 135, acquired by BDA), which is not covered by the High Court order.

M.N. Reddy, chairman of Rama Chaitanya Vardhini Trust that runs the Ayodhya Rama Temple Complex, claimed the High Court order on status quo was restraining the Muzrai Department and not the Trust.

Padmanabha Reddy, BJP candidate in the previous two elections, was leading the crowd. “Devotees have decided to put up this statue. It is wrong of Mr. George to put a spanner in the works. This is clearly a continuation of the anti-Hindu policy of the government,” he said adding this will likely be an election issue in the constituency in the coming polls.

Mr. George was unavailable for comment, but a Congress leader from the constituency said that the BJP was trying to communalise the issue. “The statue was first stopped by the Election Commission and later by the Muzrai Department over a High Court order. Mr. George has already clarified his stand on the issue,” the leader said.

Muniraju, who is associated with the Trust, said that sculptors will work on the statue for another year. It is expected to be ready by Ram Navami next year.

Trust expected to repair road

To get the statue to the temple, a stretch of Hennur Main Road was dug up, a median was removed and five electric poles removed. BBMP Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad said civic rules are clear. Permission was given to the Rama Chaitanya Vardhini Trust to tamper with the road on Sunday on the condition that they would restore it.