Vadodara: Two years ago, 34 children put in their best efforts to create ‘Viranajl,’ a 25 foot artwork, which was later installed on RC Dutt Road as a tribute to the Indian army.
However, in the heat of campaigning for municipal corporation polls, this touching tribute has been literally shadowed by hoardings of netas who want their faces and party seen more prominently.
The artist community is furious over such ‘belittling’ of public artworks.
“This sculpture was made by children aged between 10 years and 14 years from our hobby centre with a lot of hard work and patience to honour the Indian army. I am pained to see the hoardings around it and Vadodara Municipal Corporation’s (VMC) casual attitude towards our public artworks,” said artist Hitesh Rana.
“In the past too, many such public artworks made by famed artists were encroached upon hoardings. I am going to meet VMC officials on Friday and raise this issue,” Rana told TOI.
Over the last two years, hoardings carrying photographs of politicians were also raised around Vad Circle in Chhani, Kala Ghoda circle and Abacus sculpture on the Sama Road.
Vrushin Mankodi one of the students involved in making the sculpture, said, “We dedicated the sculpture to the city and our soldiers. It is sad to see our work being covered by hoardings.
Vinod Daroz, a ceramic artist, added, “There is so much space to put up posters and hoardings across the city. I don’t understand why the beautiful public artworks aren’t spared.”
Mayank Patel from Vadodara Navratri Festival said, "We had asked Team Vadodara members to place some hoardings near my bungalow. I am not aware of the exact spots where they erected them. I will immediately ask them to remove the hoardings placed next to the public artwork."
Director, encroachment removal and security, VMC, Mangesh Jaiswal said, “We don’t give permissions to raise hoardings next to public artworks. These hoardings must have come up without permissions and we will ensure that they are removed.”