In Gorlakhandoddi, Gattu Mandal of Telangana, Muslims forcibly removed a statue of Saint Kanaka Haridas, as reported by Organiser. The statue, which was set to be unveiled on May 22, was installed on private land in Jogulamba Gadwal district in Telangana.
As per the report, devotees of the Kuruwa community revere Saint Kanakadas as their family deity. On the day of the unveiling ceremony, the community was doing Puja since 4 am. However, some local Muslims arrived at around 7 am in the middle of the ceremonies and forcibly removed the statue.
The local Hindus say that the statue was installed on a private plot of land with all proper documentation, and ownership papers in place. However, some Muslim families in the village opposed it, claiming the statue would obstruct the access path to their houses. The complainants say that there is a road on 2 sides for the houses of the Muslims, but still, they oppose the statue, adding that their main objection was for the installation of a ‘Hindu idol’ near their homes.
The local Hindus have named Mohammad, Mabusaab, Imam, Ranju, and Nawab as accused. The local Hindus have also alleged that the administration is surprisingly siding with the Muslims on the issue. The village has 20-25 Muslim families living alongside 800 other families, as per the Organiser report.
Reacting to the incident, Dr. Shashidhar, joint secretary of Vishwa Hindu Parishad Telangana, said, “The act by Muslims of Gorlakhandoddi is condemnable and state police must arrest and punish the culprits. Every day, the hate crimes initiated by Muslims are increasing, and it seems that the state Congress government is silently supporting these radical Muslims, who are found to be aggressors.
Shri Kanaka Dasa, initially known as Thimappa Nayaka, was born in present-day Karnataka in the days of the Vijayanagara Empire. He was a prominent figure among the saints of the Bhakti movement in the 16th century. He is a revered figure among many South Indian communities. Hindus and is celebrated for his spiritual, and literary contributions to the culture.