A 14-foot statue of Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissioned by a former Deputy Mayor and civic councillor is on its way to the city from Andhra Pradesh, but it will not be installed in Bengaluru as originally planned.
The BBMP has not accorded former Deputy Mayor C.R. Ram Mohan Raju permission to install in Bommanahalli ward, which he formerly represented as councillor.
This is because of the recent direction from the High Court of Karnataka. Earlier this month, the High Court directed the government to ensure the implementation of the Supreme Court’s 2013 direction to all States to not grant permission for installation of statues or construction of any structure on public roads, pavements, sideways and other public utility areas.
The statue will remain hidden from public view for at least a couple of months. When contacted, Mr. Raju told The Hindu that the statue is already on its way to the city from Andhra Pradesh. “ I will once again seek permission from the BBMP to erect the statue,” he said.
He spent his personal funds to commission the statue from artists Katuru Venkateswara Rao and his son Katuru Ravi from Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh. Not willing to divulge the sum spent on the statue, Mr. Raju said that it has been made completely from discarded automobile parts and scrap material. “Including the platform on which it will stand, the entire structure will be 21 ft tall,” he said.
For now, he plans to keep it at his residence or rent out a godown.
