Vitthal Heroor supporters threaten protest over statue demand

Supporters of former Karnataka MLC Vitthal Heroor have given the Kalaburagi district administration one week to install a statue of the late leader at Afzalpur cross and name a circle after him. Members of the Vitthal Heroor Abhimanigala Samiti said they would stage a protest in the city on October 16 if the demand was not met. Avvanna Myakeri and Basavaraj Bodihal announced the position at a press conference on Thursday.

Myakeri said the circle had already been named after Heroor in 2015 and was situated on the route towards Afzalpur, an area with which the former leader had a close association. The dispute involves a statue installed at the site on September 16. Myakeri alleged that some people had placed a statue of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah there overnight.

Kuruba community leaders have also recently sought the installation of a statue of Siddaramaiah at the location. The samiti appealed to those leaders and Siddaramaiah’s followers to select another site. Myakeri said the Koli-Kabbaliga and Kuruba communities had traditionally maintained cordial relations in the district and warned that the statue issue could create unnecessary differences.

He said the Koli-Kabbaliga community supported the recognition of Siddaramaiah’s contribution but wanted Heroor’s role to be acknowledged at the proposed circle. He also recalled Heroor’s work in mobilising support among AHINDA communities for Siddaramaiah in the region. Myakeri called on Siddaramaiah, whom he described as an AHINDA leader, to advise members of his community not to oppose Heroor’s statue.

He said the communities that helped Siddaramaiah become Chief Minister twice expected mutual respect in recognising Heroor’s contribution. The samiti’s proposed October 16 protest is conditional on the administration’s response. The source material does not state whether officials have issued a decision on either statue or the naming of the circle.