Tension prevailed on Bangalore University’s Jnana Bharathi campus on Monday after some faculty members and students installed a statue of Buddha at a location where a new statue of goddess Saraswathi was to be installed.
Sources in the university said Vice-Chancellor K.R. Venugopal had spent money from his personal account to buy a new idol of goddess Saraswathi as the old idol that was installed on the campus in 1973 was broken last year. The inauguration of the new idol was slated to take place this Thursday.
“Somebody tried to garland the statue and the hand of the idol broke. So we decided to replace it,” said an university authority.
Following this, the university held a special Syndicate meeting on Monday. It was decided to install the idol of goddess Saraswathi. The university has constituted a committee to decide where the idol of Buddha should be shifted.
Prof. Venugopal also met the police and apprised them of the matter.
Ravi D. Channannavar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West), said: “We have assured them of assistance but have not registered any complaint,” he said.