The Sangha held a press conference in Kalaburagi to protest the overnight installation of a large Siddaramaiah statue on 17 September, a day that coincided with the Kalyana Karnataka Utsav celebrations.
Sangha leader Avvanna Myakeri warned that the move could inflame tensions between the Koli/Kabbaliga and Kuruba communities, which he said have historically enjoyed cordial and fraternal ties, and urged the administration to take precautionary steps to avoid any confrontation.
Myakeri recalled that the Vittal Heroor Circle was created in December 2015 near the Karnataka High Court Bench Cross, initially featuring a portrait of the AHINDA movement figure Vittal Heroor, whose death‑ and birth‑anniversary events have been commemorated annually by local supporters.
He alleged that during Siddaramaiah’s 2023 visit to Kalaburagi as chief minister, a temporary board bearing the former chief’s portrait was placed near the circle and was promised to be removed after the programme, a promise he claims was not honoured.
Sangha leader Sharanappa Talawar described the statue’s installation as the work of “miscreants,” condemned the act, and called for an investigation to identify those responsible, adding that the episode could tarnish Siddaramaiah’s reputation.
The group’s official request is two‑fold: prevent any further development of the Siddaramaiah monument at the site and facilitate the erection of a statue honoring Vittal Heroor, whom they view as a champion of the oppressed sections of Karnataka society.