The row over installation of statue of late Shivaratri Rajendra Swami of Suttur Mutt at the Gun House Circle has continued with protests by members of the Ursu community, in Mysuru on Friday.
The protestors staged a demonstration near the Gun House Circle and said that they did not intend to show disrespect to any individual or personality but were only concerned that a section of people were illegally installing a statue and wanted the police to act against it.
The statue was installed a few weeks ago in a surreptitious manner at night and the erstwhile royal family of Wadiyars had staked claim to the place and wanted to install the statue of late Srikantadutta Narasimharaja Wadiyar.
The issue is embroiled in a controversy since the last few years and the matter also went to the High Court of Karnataka which directed that a committee be constituted to give its opinion. The committee members studied the situation arising out of the Supreme Court orders of 2013 which had forbidden the installation of statues in public places and roads.
However, the committee concluded that the decision to install a statue had preceded the Supreme Court’s orders and hence its installation did not amount to violation. K.V. Rajendra said that the circle already existed and installation of a statue did not hinder public in any manner.
