JOIN USThe impasse over the shifting of Dr B R Ambedkar statue from the precincts of Vidhana Soudha to facilitate Namma Metro project appears to have been solved with a meeting of the stakeholders deciding on the new location. However, the new venue comes with a Vaastu rider.
According to the original plan, the statue was to be shifted temporarily towards the western side of Vidhana Soudha (near the statue of Kengal Hanumanthaiah) where a pedestal was constructed for the purpose.
Vaastu concerns
However, during the meeting of the stakeholders held recently, members of dalit organisation expressed their opposition to the location. A few members raised Vaastu concerns, since the new location is on the western side. They demanded that the statue should be shifted to a place towards the eastern side of Vidhana Soudha.
Finally, it was decided to relocate the statue to Rose Garden - this means that the statue will be shifted by about 100 meter from the existing position.
The meeting was attended by Social Welfare minister A Narayanaswamy, Chief Secretary S V Ranganath and E Venkataiah, Principal Secretary to Social Welfare Department. A senior official said that the Social Welfare Department will proceed further once the chief secretary approves the decision. However, an official from the Department said the date for shifting the statue was yet to be finalised.
Dalit organisations have demanded the government not to shift the statue before Ambedkar Jayanthi, which falls on April 14 and according to sources, the government is likely to agree for the demand.
Statue sunk
Meanwhile, sources in the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited said the statue has sunk by 60 mm in the last few days due to the ongoing work on the Vidhana Soudha station.
The Public Works Department has deputed six engineers to keep a close watch on the statue. These engineers are working in two shifts to ensure that no damage is caused to the statue.