Though the unveiling of the Adiyogi statue may carry on, a status quo remains on construction at the site, said the Karnataka High Court.
The Karnataka High Court. (Creative Commons)
The Karnataka High Court, on Friday, 13 January, allowed the Isha Foundation to continue with the unveiling of the Adiyogi statue in the Chikkaballapura district on Sunday.
This means, that the event may commence according to the schedule announced earlier.
However, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who was invited as the chief dignitary to inaugurate the local Isha Yoga Centre and unveil the statue, has refused to attend the programme due to “unavoidable reasons”.
In an official letter from the Vice-President’s Secretariat in New Delhi to the Karnataka government, it was communicated on Friday that Dhankhar’s visit to Bengaluru — during which he was to unveil the statue — had been cancelled.
The letter cited “unavoidable reasons” for the vice-president being unable to attend the opening ceremony.
He “conveyed his best wishes for the success of the convocation” in the letter.
The Lord Shiva statue under construction. (Supplied)
The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday ordered a status quo following a public interest litigation (PIL) filed against the construction, which alleged that it had violated various rules and laws related to the environment, forests, and land acquisition.
However, the counsel for the foundation filed an application on Thursday and managed to get the hearing advanced, stating to the court that the matter was “urgent”.
On Friday, the foundation moved the court to vacate the stay. However, the court refused to vacate the stay, despite allowing the inauguration ceremony and activities concerning the unveiling of the statue.
The court ordered that the status quo should be maintained on any construction activities at the site until the next hearing.
On Friday, the counsel for Isha Foundation approached the division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Ashok S Kingai and submitted that the inauguration of the centre was scheduled for 15 January, which would be attended by the vice-president and other dignitaries. The invitation regarding the inauguration was submitted to the court.
The court was informed that no tree would be cut for the event, and that the foundation was not going ahead with any construction activities.
The court recorded this submission and said that the event could go ahead as it was already scheduled.
Meanwhile, the counsel for the petitioners sought a direction from the court that no fireworks be used during the unveiling of the statue.
Responding to it, the court opined that such events would not be held as it was a programme to be attended by the vice-president. Subsequently, the hearing of the case was adjourned to 2 February.
A statement from Isha Foundation on Friday said: “After hearing arguments of both petitioners and the defence, the Karnataka High Court clarified that the Adiyogi unveiling and the activities related to it could be carried out the way it was planned.”
The release stated that Dhankar would unveil the statue, “a replica of the first installation of Adiyogi in Coimbatore”, as per schedule.
Dhankhar’s office, however, has already said he would skip the programme.
Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai were also expected to be in attendance.
Soon after the high court ruled that Isha foundation could carry on with the Adiyogi unveiling ceremony but a status quo on construction was maintainable, noted environmentalist and activist Leo F Saldanha told South First: “The court has allowed them to carry on with the event, but it has still refused to vacate the stay which has been extended until 2 February. In light of these developments, it will be appropriate for the vice-president to not participate in the event as the statue he would be inaugurating stands on potentially illegal land or one that is in dispute.”
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