MYSURU: The much-awaited Gajapayana to mark the beginning of the world-famous Dasara festivities has kicked up a controversy over whether jumbos should be made to walk 76 km from the forest or bring them here by trucks. At a Dasara committee meeting here, BJP MLC AH Vishwanath locked horns with district in-charge minister ST Somashekar and forest officials over the issue.
While Vishwanath said Dasara elephants, led by Abhimanyu, should walk, District in-charge Minister ST Somashekar insisted that they should be transported by trucks, leading to heated arguments. Vishwanath said bringing elephants in trucks beats the purpose of Gajapayana. It was Vishwanath who introduced Gajapayana during the SM Krishna government by formally welcoming Dasara elephants at Veeranahosahalli in Nagarhole forest of Hunusr to send out a message that the Dasara festival is on.
On Saturday, Deputy Conservator of Forests V Karikalan pointed to a Supreme Court order which specifies that elephants should not be made to walk for more than 15 km. He feared for the safety of jumbos as they have to trek on asphalted roads. He said the jumbos will be forced to walk 27 km a day to cover 76 km and reach Mysuru before August 10. Not convinced Vishwanath threatened to protest if the elephants are brought by trucks.
Congress MLA Tanveer Sait suggested that the issue of bringing Dasara elephants can be discussed next year as the programme has been finalised to welcome the jumbos. When Vishwanath suggested that the ceremony of welcoming the elephants at the Mysuru Palace be put off, Somashekar said there is no point in bearing down on officers. He said the issue can be finalised after holding talks with Forest Minister Umesh Katti, who is already camping in Nagarhole.
Somashekar said the forest department has finalised14 Dasara elephants and nine of them will arrive in the first batch and five in the second batch said the Mysore Palace Board will release Rs 5 crore and Mysore Urban Development Authority Rs 10 crore for Dasara celebrations, while the deputy commissioner will seek funds from the government. Omashekar said the Dasara High-Powered Committee, chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, decided to celebrate Dasara grandly this year, as no celebrations could take place for the last two years because of Covid. He said Bommai will decide on inviting the state guest to inaugurate the Dasara festivities.