RDPR Minister K.S. Eshwarappa today announced that the dispute over the installation of Sangolli Rayanna statue in Peeranwadi village was resolved after the government decided to retain the statue at the disputed place, but name the circle after Maratha ruler Shivaji.
He said that the truce established in the village was a model to the country. He thanked officials and negotiating parties for the agreement.
ADGP (Law and Order) Amar Kumar Pandey , Deputy Commissioner M.G. Hiremath and other officers had hammered out the agreement after meeting Kannada and Marathi groups for several hours on Friday.
The officers garlanded the two statues before midnight on Friday.
Mr Eshwarappa visited Peeranwadi and Rayanna’s native village of Nandagad near Khanapur along his Cabinet colleagues Ramesh Jarkiholi and H. Nagesh. The Ministers garlanded the statues of Rayanna and Shivaji in Peeranwadi and Rayanna’s resting place near Nandagad.
Mr. Jarkiholi said that the government would bring out a special gazette notification to regularise the installation of the Rayanna statue in Peeranwadi. The Supreme Court judgment prohibiting erecting statues on national highways would be kept in mind before the notification is published.
He said Rayanna and Shivaji were national heroes and the government would ensure their statues would not suffer insult at the hands of anyone.
He dismissed the letter by Shiv Sena regarding the issue as malicious. “We know with what agenda they came to power. Such things should not be given much importance.”
Mr. Jarkiholi said he would request Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to withdraw cases against Kannada and Marathi activists.
