Proposed Christ statue triggers row in Karnataka

KANAKAPURA: The Sangh Parivar on Monday demanded that the Karnataka government reverse its decision to allot land for a 114-foot-high statue of Jesus Christ in Kapalabetta by January 25 or face further protests.
Congress MLA DK Shivakumar had laid the foundation stone for the statue on December 25.
Hundreds of Hindu Jagaran Vedike workers took part in the “Kanakapura Chalo” march amid heavy police deployment on Monday.They also submitted a memorandum to the government.
After the march, the Sangh Parivar passed a resolution: “If you (state government) don’t act by January 25, we will step up our protest and won’t stop till we succeed.”
The resolution wants work at Kapalabetta halted, cases against officials who allowed construction before the pasture land was allotted to the trust, and a strong anti-conversion law in the state.