The World War I memorial, near the TV tower at Jayamahal in the City, has become an advertising space for BJP leader C Munikrishna, who is using it as a platform to grab people’s attention.
In the wake of the upcoming by-elections from the Hebbal Assembly constituency, Munikrishna, a BJP ticket aspirant from Hebbal, who is also a former corporator and former State BJP SC Morcha president, has used the space to put up billboards to greet people on the occasion of New Year and Sankranti. The hoarding, with a huge photograph of Munikrishna along with senior BJP leaders B S Yeddyurappa, D V Sadananada Gowda and Hebbal legislator Jagadish Kumar, who died recently, has been put up on top of the war memorial.
This act has irked historians and locals.
Noted historian Arun Prasad said that it is a shame that politicians have no respect for such historically significant landmarks.
“It shows the negligence of the corporation and the government. The memorial is dedicated to Mysuru soldiers and officers who died in the war of 1914-18. Unfortunately, the war memorial is not listed under the Archeological Survey of India list, though it has been proposed. It is presently under the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for maintenance,” he said.
Granite slab structure
This 30-foot memorial is one of the finest and is made of grey Mysuru granite slab. There are only three such monolithic structures in the City- Ashoka Pillar in Jayanagar and Yeshwantpur industrial memorial.
BBMP Commissioner G Kumar Naik told Deccan Herald that he was unaware of the memorial being used to put up hoardings.
“So far, nothing has come to my notice. I will look into it immediately. We will penalise the offenders soon. Every time we bring hoardings down, they come up again,” Kumar Naik said.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks