Villagers' decision, not mine: Shivakumar on construction of 114-ft Jesus Christ statue

Congress MLA DK Shivakumar made it clear that to construct a 114-ft tall Jesus Christ statue at Harobele village in Karnataka's Ramanagara district was the villagers' decision and not his own. Being the legislator for the past 30 years, Shivakumar considered it his responsibility to help the locals.

Bengaluru (Karnataka): Former Karnataka Minister and Congress MLA from Kanakapura DK Shivakumar on Monday said that the decision to construct a 114-ft tall Jesus Christ statue in his constituency was not his but that of the villagers.

"It is not my decision but that of the Christian community of the village, being the MLA I have to help. The land was given for it, everything is legal. I have been their legislator for the past 30 years, I have to support them" Shivakumar said.

"They are simple people, we have to support them. Let hundreds of RSS and BJP leaders come and shout and go, we are least bothered," he added.

He was responding to a question on a protest by RSS and BJP leaders in Kanakapura against the construction of the statue.

Congress MLA DK Shivakumar had laid the foundation stone for a statue of Jesus Christ in Harobele village of Ramanagara district on December 25. He also had got 10 acres of land sanctioned by the state government for it.

The title deeds and other documents have been handed over to the trust assigned with the task of construction of the statue. The statue will be 114 feet tall, including the pedestal. It will be constructed using hard granite.