Mysuru: Demand to unveil statue of Devaraj Urs at new DC office on Rajyothsava Day

A.H. Vishwanath, MLC, has urged the State government to unveil the statue of former Chief Minister D. Devaraj Urs installed in front of the new Deputy Commissioner’s office on Bannur Road in the city on November 1, Rajyothsava Day.

Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Mr. Vishwanath said the erstwhile BJP government headed by former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa had sanctioned ₹92 lakh for the statue.

Though the work on the installation of the statue has been completed, the present Government does not appear keen to unveil the statue of Mr. Urs, who is regarded as a tall leader of the backward classes in the State, said Mr. Vishwanath.

If the government does not unveil the statue on November 1, Rajyothsava Day, the admirers of Devaraj Urs will themselves organize the unveiling of the statue, said the MLC, while pointing out that it was during the tenure of Mr Urs as Chief Minister that the State was renamed as Karnataka.

BJP’s Other Backward Classes (OBC) Morcha leader Raghu Kautilya, who was also present at the press conference, said the statue should have been unveiled on the birth anniversary of Devaraj Urs on August 20. If not, the Government should at least unveil it on November 1 to mark the Rajyothsava Day, he said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Vishwanath also urged the government to take necessary steps to protect the heritage structures in Mysuru. He pointed out that the old Deputy Commissioner’s office in Mysuru was lying in a State of neglect and urged the authorities to immediately take steps to restore it.

He also questioned the need for the government to shift to the new Deputy Commissioner’s office instead of repairing the old structure and retaining it.