After 5 yrs, Pandit Nehru’s statue to be back on its pedestal

BENGALURU: Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday said the statue of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, which was shifted to take up underground Metro Rail works near Vidhana Soudha, will be re-installed in its original place in front of Vidhana Soudha.Responding to ‘calling attention notice’ by Congress MLC K Govindraj, the CM informed the Legislative Council that underground Metro project work was complete, and the place developed. The statue of Nehru will be re-installed in its original place, he said.

Earlier, taking up the issue in the Council, Congress MLC Govindraj said the statue in front of Vidhana Soudha (East) was temporarily shifted five years ago to Vidhana Soudha (West) to facilitate underground Metro Rail work, and was not re-installed in its place even after Metro work was completed.Non-installation of the statue of Pandit Nehru amounts to showing disrespect to the national leader, the Congress MLC said.

Congress MLCs demanded that the state government reinstall the statue in its original place before Nehru’s birth anniversary on November 14. Before the chief minister responded, the House witnessed arguments between the Congress and BJP MLCs, and floor leader Kota Srinivas Poojary said they will “look into the matter”.