Supporters of MLAs Ramesh Jarkiholi and Lakshmi Hebbalkar are involved in a bitter battle over taking credit for developing Rajhansgad fort near Yellur in Belagavi district. Both the leaders seem to have their eyes set on the Maratha voters who form a significant portion of the electorate in Belagavi Rural constituency.
Rajhansgad fort is on the top of Yellur mountain, around 12 kilometres from Belagavi city. It is one of the popular places to visit near Belagavi for tourists. The fort lies in the constituency of Congress MLA Lakshmi Hebbalkar.
Yellur had hit the headlines a few years ago when some supporters of the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) put up a board declaring that the village belongs to Maharashtra, and not Karnataka.
Some Maratha leaders claim that Shivaji Maharaj had camped in the fort for some time, and stationed his soldiers atop the mountain. However, the district gazette does not mention this.
The redeveloped fort has a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji, which is likely to be unveiled on March 5. The project was executed by the Department of Public Works, with ₹3.5 crore released by the Department of Tourism.
Supporters of Congress MLA Lakshmi Hebbalkar say invitations have been sent to Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, and some leaders from Maharashtra, and senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and D.K. Shivakumar.
Ramesh Jarkiholi has alleged that Ms. Hebbalkar is trying to convert the inauguration into a Congress event, for her own political benefit. He raised the issue recently during a meeting of supporters in Hire Bagewadi. He alleged that she was acting as if she had single-handedly developed the fort, and that she had deliberately ignored the contribution of the BJP government.
“I saw an advertisement in a local paper by one of Ms Hebbalkar’s supporter that seems to make the unveiling of the statue like a Congress event. This is a clear violation of the State protocol,’‘ he told the gathering.
Later, he visited Yellur along with former MLA Sanjay Patil of the BJP. There, he claimed that Ms Hebbalkar was falsely claiming credit for the project. “The people should know that the contribution of the MLA is meagre. The then minister C.T. Ravi released ₹3 crore for the project after seeking my permission,” Ramesh Jarkiholi told journalists. “It is a government project, and not a Congress election gimmick. Mr Bommai will inaugurate it as per government protocol. If Ms Hebbalkar is ready to follow the protocol, let her organise the inauguration.”
Sanjay Patil claimed that in 2010, the BJP government had sanctioned ₹10 crore for development of Rajhansgad fort, and released ₹4.1 crore of this amount.
Channaraj Hattiholi, MLC, and Ms Hebbalkar’s younger brother, countered that the funds for the statue were released during the tenure of D.K. Shivakumar. Additional funds were released later, by the BJP government.
“This was due to the relentless efforts of Ms Hebbalkar. She was able to convince the then ministers Mr Ravi and Sa Ra Mahesh to release ₹3 crore. Ramesh Jarkiholi is speaking of disrupting the unveiling of the statue. That amounts to playing with fire,” he said hinting that the Gokak MLA would invite the wrath of Maratha voters.
He denied that the unveiling is being timed to help the Congress in the coming Assembly polls. “It is a long-pending project. We are happy that it is being inaugurated now,” he said.
In an article on the forts in Belagavi district, INTACH member and history professor C.B. Taboji says that Rajhansgad fort was built by the Ratta dynasty in the 10th century. It was renovated and strengthened by Asad Khan Lori, a noble of the Bijapur Adil Shahi kings.
