Kuruba community protests removal of Siddaramaiah statue in Kalaburagi
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The Kuruba community members staging a massive protest in Kalaburagi city on Tuesday, demanding the reinstallation of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s statue. | Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI
Members of the Kuruba community and followers of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held a protest rally in Kalaburagi on Tuesday, condemning the removal of a statue of Mr. Siddaramaiah that was installed near the High Court on Afzalpur Ring Road.
The statue was installed by unidentified persons on the night of September 16 and was removed by officials of the Kalaburagi City Corporation on September 17, during Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s visit to the city.
The Kuruba community members staging a massive protest in Kalaburagi city on Tuesday, demanding the reinstallation of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s statue. | Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI
The community leaders demanded that the statue be reinstalled and sought the suspension of officials who directed its removal shortly after it was installed, and also set September 23 as the deadline for the reinstallation of the statue and had announced the protest in the event of the demand not being met.
Members of the community from across Kalaburagi district gathered near the Sangolli Rayanna statue close to the city bus stand in the market area. They marched towards Jagat Circle and later proceeded to the Deputy Commissioner’s office, carrying yellow flags and placards in support of Mr. Siddaramaiah and raising slogans against the city oorporation authorities. The procession was accompanied by Dollu Kunitha and Thamate performances.
The protesters said Mr. Siddaramaiah, an AHINDA leader, had introduced several welfare programmes aimed at the uplift of socially and economically disadvantaged sections during his tenure as Chief Minister.
He had consistently championed the cause of backward communities, Dalits, minorities and other disadvantaged sections through his political career. They particularly highlighted his emphasis on welfare-oriented governance and social justice and said his programmes had benefited large sections of people who had historically remained economically and socially marginalised.
The proposed statue was intended to honour Mr. Siddaramaiah’s contribution to the welfare of these sections, the agitators added and maintained that the statue should be restored and that responsibility should be fixed on officials who ordered its removal.
A minor altercation was reported outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office after police personnel closed the main gate of the Mini Vidhana Soudha, preventing the protesters from entering the premises.
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