BELAGAVI: It’s a pleasure to unveil the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the leader who fought bravely for the protection of Hinduism, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Thursday, at Rajahansagad Fort in Belagavi Rural. He announced that an additional grant of Rs 5 crore would be released for the development of Rajahansagad Fort.
The grant will be used to construct a community hall, rest house and other basic facilities, and convert the fort into a tourist destination, he said. In 2008, then chief minister BS Yediyurappa had sanctioned Rs 14 crore to develop Rajahansagad Fort, when Janardhan Reddy was tourism minister. “Rajahansagad is an amazing fort. It exudes the past glory and culture of Shivaji Maharaj. The statue was installed in keeping with the personality of Shivaji Maharaj.
The fort will be developed in the coming days,” said Bommai. The programme was jointly organised by the district administration, Kannada and Culture department, Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited and Tourism department. Hundreds of people, including the villagers of Rajahansagad, participated. Belagavi Rural MLA Hebbalkar remained absent, and will unveil the statue once again on March 5.
District in-charge minister Govind Karjol, MP Mangala Angadi, Gokak MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, Belagavi North MLA Anil Benake, Belagavi South MLA Abhay Patil, and officials were present, while Deputy Commissioner Nitesh Patil welcomed the gathering.
Credit war over fort
A ‘credit war’ is raging between Belagavi Rural MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar and BJP leaders Sanjay Patil and Ramesh Jarkiholi over the development of the fort. Hebbalkar has claimed that she made special efforts to sanction funds and take up work, while previous MLA Sanjay Patil said he had taken up the proposal to develop the fort. Jarkiholi is supporting him.
Hebbalkar had questioned the interference of Jarkiholi in works of her constituency, and announced that she would unveil the statue again on March 5.
Cong got did not release funds: CM
“I will bring Siddaramaiah to Rajahansagad Fort to unveil the statue of Shivaji Maharaj once again, if he has sanctioned a single rupee for its development from 2013 to 2018,” CM Bommai challenged the former chief minister. He told reporters that his government had released Rs 50 lakh to start the work.
“We have no objection if MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar wants to hold another inauguration. A fort is a public place and the government has the right to decide on the date of inauguration,” he said.
The fort will be developed into a major tourism spot. The government has reserved funds for ‘pilgrimage tourism’ and it will be utilised to restore temples and forts built in the era of the Chalukyas, Hoysalas, Rashtrakutas and Kadamabas, he added.