CM to unveil statue of Devaraj Urs in Mysuru on November 3: Minister H.C. Mahadevappa

Even as the BJP held a massive demonstration on November 1 demanding unveiling of the statue of former Chief Minister D. Devaraj Urs installed inside the new Deputy Commissioner’s office premises in Mysuru, Minister in charge of Mysuru district H. C. Mahadevappa announced that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will unveil the statue on November 3.

Mr. Mahadevappa told reporters in Mysuru that the statue will be unveiled during Mr. Siddaramaiah’s visit to Mysuru on November 3. “The matter has been brought to his notice. We are planning to unveil it on November 3,” he said.

Responding to complaints about the inordinate delay in unveiling of the statue even though it was ready since a long time, Mr. Mahadevappa attributed the delay to paucity of time, and admitted that pro-Kannada activists had drawn his attention to the matter several times.

Though the statue could have been unveiled by him, the Minister said said that the event will receive more importance if the Chief Minister did the honours.

Protest by BJP

A large number of BJP workers, including MLC A. H. Vishwanath, former MLA L. Nagendra and party’s State OBC Morcha leader Raghu Kautilya, gathered outside the new Deputy Commissioner’s office on Bannur Road demanding that the government unveil the statue on Rajyotsava Day.

The BJP workers, who tried to lay siege to the Deputy Commissioner’s office, entered into an argument with police personnel, who prevented their entry to the office.

Mr. Vishwanath told reporters that the statue, which had been sculpted after former Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa released ₹92 lakh during his tenure, remains neglected and abandoned.

He regretted that the Congress leaders did not even bother to come and check the statue of Mr. Urs, who is regarded as the champion of social justice and voice of the marginalized communities.

BJP leaders had threatened to unveil the statue on behalf of the admirers of Mr. Urs on Rajyotsava Day as a tribute to the late Chief Minister’s illustrious leadership.

The BJP, in a statement, said Mr. Urs, who hailed from Mysuru district, was a visionary Chief Minister, who introduced numerous social and administrative reforms for the betterment of Karnataka. Yet, it is highly condemnable that the district administration had shown indifference towards such a great reformer and visionary in Karnataka’s history.