Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (JD)

Bengaluru, Jul 23: Minister for Women and Child Development and Udupi district in-charge, Lakshmi Hebbalkar, has accused Karkala MLA Sunil Kumar of hurting Hindu sentiments by erecting a fake Parashurama statue in Karkala.

Minister Hebbalkar, leading a delegation, met with chief minister Siddaramaiah to request a special investigation team (SIT) probe into the alleged irregularities and the erection of the fake Parashurama statue. Leaders from Udupi and Dakshina Kannada district Congress were part of the delegation.

Speaking earlier at a protest organized by Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district Congress workers against former minister and current MLA V Sunil Kumar for erecting a fake Parashurama statue in Karkala, minister Hebbalkar criticized the BJP legislator and said, “Sunil Kumar has the knack of repeating lies to make them seem true. I have experience in constructing a Shivaji statue in Belagavi, so I know how long it takes. However, it is surprising to hear that an Rs 12 crore bronze Parashurama statue was completed in just three months. Such statues typically take years to build. It seems this was done hastily within three months just for the elections.”

Hebbalkar further stated that the people of the coastal region need to teach BJP a lesson in the coming days. "Despite the Rama Temple being constructed in Ayodhya, BJP lost there, and the coastal people should similarly teach BJP a lesson here," she added.

"Watching Sunil Kumar criticize the chief minister in the assembly, he tries to appear respectable. He must be punished for misleading the public by installing a fake Parashurama statue," demanded Hebbalkar.

Former ministers Ramanath Rai, Vinay Kumar Sorake, MLC Ivan D’Souza, leaders Jayaprakash Hegde, Uday Kumar Shetty Muniyal, Mithun Rai, Dinesh Hegde Molahalli, Sudheer Kumar Muroli, Udupi district Congress president Ashok Kumar Kodavoor, Harish Kumar, Kishan Hegde, Kiran Hegde, Ramesh Kanchan, and Kripa Alva were among those present at the protest.