Congress leader and MLA for Kanakapura D.K. Shivakumar has appealed for communal harmony and peace in the town, that recently saw a controversy erupt over the installation of a Jesus Christ statue atop Kapala Betta.
This plea on Saturday comes in the backdrop of a rally planned by senior RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat in the town on Monday. The rally is being organised by the Hindu Jagarana Vedike. Several BJP leaders have opposed the installation of the statue and claimed it to be a land scam.
“The people of Kanakapura have been living in harmony for centuries now. The rally is a conspiracy by communal forces to disturb this. I appeal to the people of the town not to be provoked and let any untoward incident happen,” Mr. Shivakumar said in a statement.
Meanwhile, K.T. Ullas, general secretary, south Karnataka, Hindu Jagarana Vedike, said, “We demand that the State government cancel the allotment of gomala land where the statue is coming up. We have got permission from the police to hold the rally. We will also hold a public meeting,” he said.
N. Manjunath Prasad, principal secretary, Revenue Department, said the ground report on the land scam allegations is expected only next week.
