HC stays setting up of NTR statute as Lord Krishna in Khammam

HYDERABAD: The vacation court of Telangana High Court, headed by Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili, on Thursday directed the state government not to install the statute of the late N.T. Rama Rao at Lakkaram lake in Khammam town till further orders.

The judge was dealing with a lunch motion writ petition filed by Bharata Yadava Samithi, All India Yadava Samithi, Adibatla Srikala Peetham, Hyderabad and others challenging the decision of the state government in giving permission to the N.T. Rama Rao Vigraha Erpatu committee to install the statue which is shown depicting Lord Krishna.

Transport minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar is the coordinator of the committee, which was given the go-ahead by the district collector and the municipal commissioner.  

During the course of arguments, the judge said “the state cannot erect or install statues of late NTR in Lakkaram lake (which is a tourism spot).”

Apart from the lunch motion, another writ petition was also listed before Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili with a similar plea.

This statue was supposed to be unveiled on May 28, marking the birth centenary of the former chief minister.

Counsel for the petitioners contended that the permission to install the NTR statue depicting Lord Krishna in Khammam is against the Supreme Court orders and the circular dated 18-12-2016 issued by the Telangana government, which prohibits installation of statues at public places.

The petitioners have no objections to erecting statues of NTR but not ones where he is depicted as Lord Krishna as it hurts religious sentiments of Hindus, particularly the Yadava community, contended the petitioners.