In poll season, Shivaji statue unveiled twice in Karnataka

Bengaluru: Three days after Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai unveiled a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Congress MLA from Belagavi Rural, Laxmi Hebbalkar, held a ceremony at Rajhunsgad near Belagavi to unveil the same statue again on Sunday.

The unveiling of the Shivaji statue has become a contentious issue between Hebbalkar and Ramesh Jarkiholi, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Gokak. Hebbalkar has claimed she got funds sanctioned to complete the project, but Jarkiholi said the work was done by the BJP government and the Rajhunsghad statue must be dedicated according to government protocol.

Speaking after inaugurating the Shivaji statue, Hebbalkar said, “They (BJP) have caused enough trouble. They have filed two cases against over this statue issue. But I will face them, as I don’t lack courage.”

“I have respect for chief minister Basavaraj Bommai. But they led him astray and brought him for the inauguration,” Hebbalkar said. “The statue, which was half-painted, was inaugurated in just 12 minutes. This is a huge insult to Shivaji Maharaj.”

The BJP is indulging in politics over the unveiling of the statue, Hebbalkar said. “When DK Shivakumar was the minister, I got the grant released in three months. Later, it was delayed due to COVID and floods. Now, the elections are around the corner. But I don’t need to use the statue for political benefits. Give me a chance to do good work,” she said.

Bommai had unveiled the larger-than-life statue of Shivaji on March 2. He said BJP veteran BS Yediyurappa had released ₹14 crore during his tenure as chief minister for development of Rajhansgad. The chief minister also promised to release another ₹5 crore for development of the fort, adding that the additional funds would be utilised to build community halls, guest houses and amenities for tourists.

Jarkiholi, who has been representing the Gokak constituency for the sixth consecutive term since 1999, had said that Hebbalkar, a first-time legislator, lacks political knowledge as the work completed using government funds should be unveiled by the BJP.

BJP district president Sanjay Patil, who represented the constituency for two terms before Hebbalkar, had said the credit for developing the fort and establishing the statue must be his, as he had got the project approved by pressuring then tourism minister Gali Janardhan Reddy and present minister CT Ravi, who asked the public works department to go ahead with the project.

Although Hebbalkar had invited Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former chief minister Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar for the unveiling ceremony on Sunday, no top leaders were present at the event.

However, some Congress leaders from Maharashtra, including MLA Dheeraj Deshmukh and MLC Satej Patil, were present. Yuvaraj Sambhajiraje, a descendant of Shivaji, also attended the ceremony.

Bommai slammed the Congress for inaugurating the statue for the second time, and said it was installed by the government and had been formally inaugurated. “It is laughable. One can visit the spot and express their honour. Unveiling the same statue again, which was installed by the government, is a bad precedent. They can visit and offer their respect. But unveiling it again...I have never heard of this. It shows their lust for power,” he said on Sunday.

District in-charge minister Govind Karjol of the BJP also hit out at Hebbalkar, and called the second unveiling an immoral act. “The chief minister had unveiled the state according to protocol. The Rajahansgad fort was developed during the BJP government and the Yediyurappa government had sanctioned funds for the statue,” Karjol said.