Belagavi on the boil again over Rayanna's statue

Belagavi: A clash erupted between Kannada and Marathi activists over the installation of 19th century freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna's statue at Peeranwadi village in Karnataka's Belagavi district, police said on Friday.

Trouble began when pro-Kannada activists some admirers of Rayanna installed his statue at a road junction in Peeranwadi during the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. The pro-Kannada activists had installed the statue of Rayanna at a spot where a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is located. Soon pro-Marathi groups gathered opposing the installation of Rayanna's statue at the spot which is known as Shivaji Chowk. Earlier, Kannada activists had launched a protest march in front of the Suvarna Vidhan Soudha. The protest was called off when Jarkiholi and Hiremath assured that they would find a suitable spot for the installation of Rayanna's statue. Meanwhile, a group of pro-Kannada activists took Rayanna statue to Peeranwadi after midnight and installed it at the controversial site.

Police resorted to lathi-charge to bring the situation under control.

"The two groups were caned and dispersed from the spot where Rayanna's statue was installed and unveiled in the wee hours after they clashed over its location at the T-junction road of the village in the border district," Belagavi Police Superintendent Laxman Nimbargi told reporters here.

The installation of Rayanna's statue near the statue of Shivaji had long been a contentious one with both pro-Kannada and pro-Marathi activists at loggerheads with each other.

"As Rayanna's statue was installed at the junction where the Marathis wanted to have the 17th century Maratha king Chatrapathi Shivaji's statue, the latter protested against the locals (Kannadigas) for unveiling the former's statue," said Nimbargi.

As a revolutionary warrior, Rayanna (1798-1831) fought against the British East India Company in the Kittur princely state ruled by Rani Chennamma. "When the locals were celebrating the event and hailing Rayanna, the Marathi-speaking people objected to it, leading to a clash between them," said Nimbargi.

Chief Minister Yediyurappa had recently renamed Ananda Rao Circle flyover near the busy Majestic area after Sangolli Rayanna who fought against the British. Sangolli Rayanna was an iconic leader from the backward Kuruba community. Incidentally, former chief minister Siddaramaiah and BJP leader and minister Eswarappa, BJP MLC A H Vishwanath also belong to Kuruba community.

State Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said in Bengaluru that the tense situation in the village was brought under control by the police which acted swiftly against the clashing groups. "Additional police has been deployed in the village to maintain law and order and ensure peace between the two communities," Bommai told reporters.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa also said he had directed the Belagavi Deputy Commissioner to resolve the issue peacefully by holding talks with the groups. Water Resources and Belagavi district in-charge Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi on Thursday said Rayanna was not confined to any community and the freedom fighter was admired by all.