BELAGAVI: The unveiling of the statue of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj installed at Rajhunsgad Fort in Yellur, near Belagavi, has become a bone of contention for MLAs Laxmi Hebbalkar and Ramesh Jarkiholi, even as Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will be unveiling the statue at a grand event on March 2.
While Belagavi Rural MLA Hebbalkar and her supporters in Belagavi claim that their leader is instrumental in the installation of the statue at Rajhunsgad, BJP leaders, including former MLA of the constituency Sanjay Patil, MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi and several other leaders, say the BJP government in the state released funds for the development of Rajhunsgad Fort and also spent a lot to get the statue installed.
At a press conference in Belagavi on Saturday, Jarkiholi said the unveiling should be done as per the government’s protocol and it was unfair of the Congress leaders to hold a separate programme to unveil the statue. “I decided to involve BJP leaders and the CM in this programme only after I came to know that the Congress leaders led by Hebbalkar were trying to make it a Congress event. When the government in the state took measures for development of Rajhunsgad Fort, I felt the event should be held as per the government protocol,” he added.
Former MLA Sanjay Patil said several developments, including road construction, water supply and development of the temple in the fort area were done, when he was MLA of Belagavi Rural. He said Anand Singh (BJP) had released funds for its development when he was a minister and later minister Sunil Kumar also gave grants for its development in recent times.
He objected to the statement of MLC Chennaraj Hattiholi, brother of Hebbalkar, that the latter spent about Rs 1 crore from his own pocket for the development of Rajhunsgad, and said that although a total of Rs 8 crore fund had been spent reportedly on the entire developmental works done at Rajhunsgad fort including the installation of the statue, it appeared by seeing the works done there that such a huge amount may not have been spent.However, it has come to light that Hebbalkar’s supporters also have been planning to hold a separate event on March 5 to unveil the statue of Shivaji Maharaj at Rajhunsgad. However, the event is yet to be scheduled.
Both the Congress and BJP are eying for the votes of Marathi community in Belagavi rural assembly segment where a majority of voters are from this dominant community.