Signboard placed naming a road in Karnataka after Godse, removed later

A newly-constructed road in Karkala taluk in Bola panchayat in Udupi district, Karnataka, saw a signboard installed which named the road after Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi. Named ‘Padugiri Nathuram Godse Rasthe’, it was painted on a yellow board with black text on a concrete slab, which was in line with other official name boards of zilla panchayats across the state. The board was removed on Monday, June 6 by officials of the gram panchayat.

Panchayat development officer of Bola, Rajendra, reportedly said that he did not know who put up the board, and that it was brought to his notice only on the morning of Monday, June 6. When pictures of the board started to go viral, Youth Congress members reached the spot and demanded that action be taken. 

“Neither the panchayat nor authorities have passed any resolution to name the road after Godse. We have filed a complaint with the Karkala rural police and they will take action,” Rajendra said, according to Indian Express. The report, quoting a police official said that the board had been installed a few days ago but no one notice it. When it came to the notice of the public and pictures of the board went viral, the panchayat development officer reportedly received several calls about it.  According to Hans India, the police have registered a case of vandalism.

Zilla Panchayat CEO H Prasanna told reporters that it was cleared after it was brought to the notice of authorities. “I have directed the Karkala Taluk Panchayat EO to visit the spot and submit a report. Directions have been issued to the concerned to submit a complaint to initiate action against the miscreants who had placed the sign board,” he said.. 

According to Hans India, Karkala Assembly constituency MLA Sunil Kumar, who is the state energy minister claimed it was to fuel political passions, and it was neither installed by the government nor panchayat officials.