With the Kadapa district administration taking a stern decision not to allow installation of any statues further, the furore over the move to build a statue of Tipu Sultan in Proddatur is expected to die down.
It all started with the Proddatur YSRCP MLA Rachamallu Sivaprasad Reddy volunteering to install a statue for Tipu Sultan on a main road junction and even performing the ‘Bhumi Puja’ for the same, allegedly without getting the nod from the district statues committee.
The BJP leadership led by Somu Veerraju and S. Vishnuvardhan Reddy plunged into action by visiting Kadapa, submitted representations to the officials against the move, describing it as ‘unconstitutional’ and as an attempt to appease the minorities. Welcoming the government’s decision to this effect, the BJP on Tuesday demanded the arrest of the MLA for ‘going against the constitution’.
Minority Hakkula Parirakshana Samithi State president Farooq Shibli has accused the government of playing with public sentiments. “The Muslims never asked for the statue. It was the MLA who insisted on it, but the U-turn is indicative of its support to the BJP’s divide-and-rule politics,” he said.
Mr. Shibli took exception to the way ‘the government had taken refuge in the Supreme Court directive to avoid installing the statue.“There are several statues in Proddatur, including five of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy alone. How are they not in violation of the SC guidelines?” he asked.
