Bhubaneswar: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has joined the bandwagon, protesting against Odisha’s government’s decision to shift the iconic warrior horse replica from Master Canteen to Raj Bhawan here.
It is being done to make way for the ongoing Rs 80-crore Smart Janpath project.
“People are pained by the decision to relocate the statue, which is a landmark in Bhubaneswar. The decision has drawn sharp reactions from different quarters,” he said.
It is a replica of the warrior and horse sculpture found at one of the gates of Konark Sun Temple, which was adopted as a part of the State Emblem in 1964, he said
“The statue sculpted by renowned sculptor Raghunath Mohapatra was installed at Master Canteen by the then Chief Minister J B Patnaik in 1988,” he added.
The Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) had proposed relocation of the sculpture for a multi-modal hub project at the Bhubaneswar Railway Station. The proposal was approved at a meeting chaired by Director of Culture Ranjan Das on June 8.
Also Read: Iconic Odisha Emblem Statue ‘Not Smart Enough’ For Bhubaneswar City Project!
On Thursday, members of opposition BJP and Congress had staged protests in front of the statue at the Master Canteen roundabout.
Opposing the move, BJP leader Babu Singh said the sculpture reflects Odisha’s art and culture and is the identity of the Odisha capital.
Congress MLA Suresh Routray urged the government not to find an alternative to make it a part of the Janpath modernisation plan.
