Tahsildar withdraws letter to police after row erupts over symbols on Gangavati lamp posts

Controversy arises over Hindu symbols on lamp posts in Gangavati town, sparking political and religious tensions in Karnataka.

Hindu religious symbols, the mace, bow and arrow and Tilak, found on lamp posts on the stretch between Maharana Pratap Circle and July Nagar Circle in Gangavati town of Koppal district have triggered a controversy.

As per information provided by sources, erecting lamp posts on the particular stretch is part of a road-widening project taken up by the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL), a government undertaking, at a cost of ₹4.10 crore provided by Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB).

Each lamp post has a mace and a bow and arrow on either side on the top and Lord Tirupati Balaji Tilak in the centre.

Taking exception to the use of religious symbols on lamp posts on a public road, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) activists recently submitted a memorandum to Municipal Commissioner R. Virupakshamurthy urging him to take steps to remove the symbols.

“Gangavati is a religiously sensitive area that is prone to communal clashes even for minor issues. Putting symbols of one religion on lamp posts erected by spending public money doesn’t sound good. Considering the seriousness of the issue, the Municipal Commissioner should immediately take steps to remove them,” taluk president of SDPI Mohammad Ali said in the memorandum.

Acting upon the memorandum, the Municipal Commissioner of Gangavati wrote to the Executive Engineer of KRIDL asking the latter to submit a report on the issue.

Koppal Deputy Commissioner Nalini Atul orally directed the Gangavati Tahsildar to take appropriate action immediately and the Tahsildar, in turn, wrote to the Circle Inspector of Police, Gangavati City Police Station, on Wednesday directing the latter to file a case and submit a compliance report.