Loudspeakers used for Azaan disturb people: Eshwarappa
Mangaluru (PTI): Senior BJP leader K S Eshwarappa on Monday said loudspeakers used for 'Azaan' (muslim call for prayer) disturb people, especially students who study for examinations and patients in hospitals.
He was responding to a query on his comments on Azaan made during the party's Vijay Sankalp Yatra on Sunday at Shantinagar, which has gone viral on social media.
"Will Allah listen only if the prayers are given through loudspeakers," the former minister had asked, speaking at a rally.
"I have not shown disrespect to any religion by my statement," Eshwarappa told reporters here.
He further said leaders of the Muslim community should contemplate the issue and take an appropriate decision.
The former minister also said his party wants only votes of Muslim nationalists in the coming assembly elections.
The BJP had never stated that they do not want the votes of Muslims. "We want the votes of Muslims who are nationalists," he said.
On the corruption charges being levelled against the BJP, Eshwarappa said the Congress is trying to hide their own corrupt deals during the previous government.
About the reception arranged by BJP workers to party MLA Madal Virupakshappa after he received bail in a bribery case, Eshwarappa said he does not approve of such actions by party workers.
"The Congress leaders, who are criticising this, had no qualms when they gave a rousing reception to D K Shivakumar when he got bail," he said.
Eshwarappa expressed confidence that the BJP will emerge victorious in the coming elections. The candidates will be finalised by the party leadership, he added.
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Govt floats tender for new Shivaji Maharaj statue in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg
Mumbai (PTI): In the wake of collapse of the Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg, the Maharashtra government has issued a tender for the construction of a new 60-foot-tall statue there, nearly twice the size of the previous one, officials said on Wednesday.
The statue will be built at a cost of Rs 20 crore and the government has set a six-month timeframe for the completion of the work, they said.
A 35-foot-tall statue of the 17th century Maratha empire founder, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil of Sindhudurg district on December 4 (Navy Day) last year, collapsed on August 26 amid strong winds.
The statue's sculptor, Jaydeep Apte, was later arrested.
The government has faced flak as the opposition parties alleged the decision to install the statue in Sindhudurg was taken haphazardly, which resulted in poor quality of work.
Maharashtra Public Works Department (PWD) had flagged concerns over rust gathering on Shivaji Maharaj’s statue and suggested permanent measures in a letter sent to a Naval official just six days before the structure collapsed.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had said the statue was designed and constructed by the Indian Navy.
He claimed winds were blowing at 45 km per hour when the statue collapsed.
A tender has been issued for the construction of a new statue and its height would be 60 feet, a PWD official said.
"The total cost would now be Rs 20 crore, including its engineering, installation and maintenance. The government has given six months to complete the work. The height of the statue would be 60 feet," the official said.
