A lamp post with Hindu religious symbols that has been installed on the stretch between Maharana Pratap Circle and July Nagar Circle in Gangavati town of Koppal district.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Hindu religious symbols, the mace, bow and arrow and Tilak, found on lamp posts on the stretch between Maharana Pratap Circle and July Nagar Circle in Gangavati town of Koppal district have triggered a controversy.
As per information provided by sources, erecting lamp posts on the particular stretch is part of a road-widening project taken up by the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL), a government undertaking, at a cost of ₹4.10 crore provided by Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB).
Each lamp post has a mace and a bow and arrow on either side on the top and Lord Tirupati Balaji Tilak in the centre.
Taking exception to the use of religious symbols on lamp posts on a public road, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) activists recently submitted a memorandum to Municipal Commissioner R. Virupakshamurthy urging him to take steps to remove the symbols.
“Gangavati is a religiously sensitive area that is prone to communal clashes even for minor issues. Putting symbols of one religion on lamp posts erected by spending public money doesn’t sound good. Considering the seriousness of the issue, the Municipal Commissioner should immediately take steps to remove them,” taluk president of SDPI Mohammad Ali said in the memorandum.
Acting upon the memorandum, the Municipal Commissioner of Gangavati wrote to the Executive Engineer of KRIDL asking the latter to submit a report on the issue.
Koppal Deputy Commissioner Nalini Atul orally directed the Gangavati Tahsildar to take appropriate action immediately and the Tahsildar, in turn, wrote to the Circle Inspector of Police, Gangavati City Police Station, on Wednesday directing the latter to file a case and submit a compliance report.
The Tahsildar’s direction, however, triggered resentment among the BJP and rightwing activists who submitted a memorandum to the former demanding that he withdraw his letter to the Circle Inspector. Following pressure, the Tahsildar withdrew his direction the next day.
Responding to the unfolding development, BJP leader and Lok Sabha member from Bangalore Central P.C. Mohan blamed the Congress government for hurting religious sentiments of the Hindus.
“Anjanadri Hill, Hanumanji’s birthplace in Karnataka, has lamp posts with symbols installed, highlighting its cultural significance. But the anti-Hindu Congress government has ordered their removal after the SDPI claimed that it hurt its religious sentiments,” Mr. Mohan said in his X post on Thursday.
Anjanadri Hill located 16 km south of Gangavati town is considered to be the birthplace of Lord Hanuman and it was one of the major poll issues for the BJP in the last Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Hosapete in the adjacent Vijayanagara district, spoke of Anjanadri Hill.
Another BJP leader C.T. Ravi also took to X to target Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the issue by questioning whether using loudspeakers [for prayers by the people of one religion] not hurt the religious sentiments of the people of other religious faiths.
Tahsildar U. Nagaraj clarified that his direction to the Circle Inspector has been withdrawn as the issue is still at the discussion level in the City Municipal Council.
