BELAGAVI: Police resorted to canning to disburse people, mostly from Shiv Sena and MES (
Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti
) over Sangolli
Rayanna row
ensuing at
Peeranwadi village
in Belagavi.
It all started after the wee hours of Friday at around 4 am. A group of villagers from Peeranwadi installed 19th century freedom fighter Rayanna's statue at a Y-junction of NH-4. It may be recalled that the police on August 15 foiled their bid of erecting the statue as there was no permission for the same. Also, there is a Supreme Court guidelines barring installations of statues at highways. On Thursday, thousands of protesters from Kannada organisations and Kuruba community marched from
Suvarna Vidhana Soudha
to Old P B Road demanding state to grant permission. Rayanna who fought the British under Kittur Rani Channamma' rule hailed from Kuruba community.
In an unexpected move, the villagers hailing from Kuruba community installed the statue and this irked Maratha community in the same village. The community members joined by Shiv Sena and MES brought a brand new statue of
Shivaji Maharajah
to install at the same place resulting in war of words with the police. The police seized the statue, even as Sena and MES members pelted stones at them and the Kannadigas. The scuffle broke out and to restore peace police resorted to lathicharge.
Mahesh, a gram panchayat member from Peeranwadi said "our men placed the statue and angry Maratha community people are now resorting to violence to take down Rayanna statue. In the melee, police lathi charged both sena and Kannadigas. The panchayat members are barred from visiting the place due to security reasons." Meanwhile members of Kannada organisations at Rani Channamma Circle in city celebrated installing Rayanna statue exchanging sweets and rising
pro-Kannada
slogans.
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