HUBBALLI: Union minister Pralhad Joshi’s recent statement on installing a big statue at Unkal Lake has triggered a controversy with activists wanting the statue of Channabasavanna, one of 12th-century sharanas, at the waterbody.
The erasing of ‘Channabasava Sagar’ from a board there is the bone of contention. The lake was already named after Channabasavanna in January 2003. The erasing of his name form the board recently has left activists and the residents of Unkal and Hubballi upset.
Activist S V Patil said that he has a copy obtained under the RTI Act of the resolution taken at the HDMC general body meeting in 2003. “As per the proposal made by then BJP corporators, the lake has been named after Channabasavanna. However, Vivekananda’s statue was installed six months after the passing of this resolution,” he said, adding: “There are historical evidences suggesting Channabasavanna’s stay at the lake 900 years ago. He and other sharanas had spread vachanas fro