Removal of statues triggers resentment

Hanamkonda: The literary connoisseurs in the tri-cities of Warangal-Hanamkonda-Kazipet woke up to the news that they don’t even prefer to imagine – the statues of Bommera Pothana and Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao were missing from their designated venues.

The incident came to light early on Thursday morning when Kaloji Foundation chairman Nagilla Rama Shastry, who is in US, informed about it to Sahitya Akademi award winner Ampasayya Naveen and others.

The scant respect shown to two great poets and pride of Telangana has not only drawn sharp criticism from the denizens but also exposed the lackadaisical approach of the authorities. Incidentally, this is the third time that the Kaloji’s statue was displaced since its installation in 2003.

Pothana, who lived between 1450 and 1510 at Bommera, a tiny village in Jangaon district 120 kms northeast of Hyderabad, is regarded as the most natural poet whose skilful use of alankaras (ornamentation of words). He translated Sanskrit epic Srimad Bhagavatham into Telugu besides penning many works.

Kaloji Narayana Rao, a freedom fighter and recipient of Padma Vibhushan Award in 1992, is one among a very few highly respected personalities of the soil. It may be noted here that Telangana Government honored Kaloji's birthday as Telangana Language Day.

While Pothana’s statue was located on the left-hand side of the roundabout opposite of Adalat, Kaloji’s life-size statue was installed opposite Nakkalagutta SBI branch which now is known as Kaloji Junction.

Against this backdrop, the City Town Planning officials removed the statues on Wednesday night to facilitate the construction of drain duct. This, they did without informing the Kaloji Foundation drawing a huge resentment from the denizens especially the poets and writers. The civic officials shifted Kaloji’s statue to the District Central Cooperative Bank premises, while Pothana’s to Rural Collectorate.

Speaking to The Hans India, Ampasayya Naveen said: “The authorities didn’t give information about the removal of statues to the members of Kaloji Foundation. It was a surprise call from Nagilla Rama Shastri from US, but the news was demoralising.

I spoke to KUDA chairman Marri Yadava Reddy but he too was unaware of the incident. However, the Urban District Collector Prashanth Jeevan Patil assured me to reinstall the statue at the earliest.”

He urged the authorities to reinstall the statues before Kaloji’s birth anniversary, which falls on November 13. Former Warangal West MLA Dasyam Vinay Bhaskar who also expressed regrets assured of reinstalling the statues with utmost reverence within a short time.