Mysore/Mysuru: During a meeting convened on Thursday to discuss the preparation for the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Budget for 2024-2025, former Mayor Shivakumar raised a significant concern. He accused the MCC of failing to settle the bill amounting to Rs. 12 lakh it owed to sculptor Arun Yogiraj.

 This outstanding amount pertains to Arun Yogiraj’s work in carving the Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Statue installed in Hardinge Circle (now Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Circle). 

“It is shocking how the MCC has been treating the renowned sculptor by not paying for the work he has done. Arun Yogiraj has achieved international fame with the consecration of Balak Ram idol at Ayodhya and the MCC is harassing him. At least now, the MCC must realise its blunder and settle the outstanding amount, recognising his contribution to the artistic and cultural heritage of Mysuru,” Shivakumar said.

On Friday, when reporters questioned Arun Yogiraj on the issue, he said, “The MCC has not paid me Rs. 12 lakh for the Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Statue I carved in 2015 and I have not gone to the MCC since then.”