Mysuru: Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Lingayat Mahasabha leaders submitted a memorandum to the Regional Commissioner (RC) of Mysuru Division, Nitesh Patil, to install the statue of late pontiff of Tumakuru Sri Siddaganga Mutt, Dr. Sri Shivakumara Swamiji, at the Circle named after the pontiff in Kuvempunagar in the city, at the earliest. 

The Veerashaiva Mahasabha leaders have stated that, previously Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) at its Council meeting, had resolved to install the statue of Shivakumara Swamiji at the junction situated in front of a petrol bunk in Kuvempunagar. Subsequently, the then Mayor Sunanda Palanetra, had performed the ground-breaking for the works, besides inviting tenders and sanctioning the required grants, as informed to the public. But till date the works on statue are yet to start, which has disappointed both the public and the devotees of the Mutt. 

Even though Krishnaraja (KR) MLA T.S. Srivatsa and the Mahasabha leaders had brought the matter of inordinate delay on taking up statue works to the notice of officers, they have been buying time. The officers privy to the developments had even told that the tender process has been completed and the advance amount has been released to the contractor. However, no developments related to works have come to notice so far, they alleged. 

The officers are coming out with cold response, barely providing any information related to the status of statue works, the Mahasabha leaders rued. 

Former Treasurer of Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Lingayat Mahasabha Varuna Mahesh, leaders Jayakumar, Jagadish Madapura, Basavaraj, Anagatti Mahadev Swamy, Manu Nanjanayakanahalli, B. Guruswamy, Nanjunda Swamy, Madhu, Abhi and others were present.