Some Muslims forcibly removed a newly installed statue of Saint Kanakadas that was set to be unveiled on private land in the village of Gorlakhandoddi, Gattu Mandal. The statue was scheduled for unveiling on May 22 in Jogulamba Gadwal District, Telangana.
Devotees of the village, particularly members of the Kuruwa community, who revere Kanaka Haridas as their family deity, had been performing puja since 4 AM. The community, which has celebrated the saint’s Jayanti for decades, had planned to erect a permanent statue as a gesture for the greater good. Suddenly, around 7 AM in the middle of these festivities, neighbouring Muslims arrived and violently removed the statue by abusing them.
According to local sources, the land where the statue was erected is private property with all relevant documentation, and the owners have the right to construct any structure as they wish. They emphasise that installing their family deity is not a crime, and Muslims raising objections claiming it obstructs the road is false and misleading, as Muslims have access to their houses via two side roads. Their objection is primarily against the installation of a Hindu idol near their homes.
Some of the accused in the incident are Mabusaab, Mohammad, ex-MPTC, Imam, Nawab, and Ranju.
Moreover, local villagers allege that the district administration is biassed and favourable towards Muslims, even threatening them to withdraw their further plans when they were produced before the Mandal officer.
The villagers point out that there are only 20-25 Muslim families among nearly 800 families in the village, and they are surprised by this aggressive action from Muslims living in the same village.
Reacting to the incident, Dr. Shashidhar, joint secretary of Vishwa Hindu Parishad Telangana, said, “The act by Muslims of Gorlakhandoddi is condemnable and state police must arrest and punish the culprits. Every day, the hate crimes initiated by Muslims are increasing, and it seems that the state Congress government is silently supporting these radical Muslims, who are found to be aggressors.
He adds that “Hindus always respected sentiments of Muslims, and respect Islam as religion. But when Hindus urge Muslims to do the same, they get the opposite reaction. Muslims conveniently start an argument, claiming that we are separate and have different beliefs. If this debate is taken further based on merit and equal respect, the Muslims would present the story that Hindus are influenced by Islamophobia, painting themselves as either victims or as part of a greater worldwide conspiracy that disagrees with Islam. But in reality, these same Islamic forces are aggressors and they want the upper hand and dominance in all areas where they live, a dangerous and anti-social approach.”
Sri Kanaka Dasa, born in the town of Baada, Karnataka, emerged as a prominent figure in the 16th-century Bhakti movement within the Vijayanagara Empire. Initially known as Thimmappa Nayaka, he was later called Kanaka Dasa due to his profound devotion to the deity Kanakachala Laxmi. This saint, poet, philosopher, and musician left an indelible mark on the cultural and spiritual landscape of South India. His literary contributions, primarily in Kannada, include devotional songs and musical compositions, with the notable “Haribhakti Sara” encapsulating the essence of Bhakti.
Saint-Poet Kanakadasa was a key figure in the Haridasa literary movement in 16th century in Karnataka and Andhra region, which heralded an era of devotional literature in Karnataka. Many Haridasas composed songs in praise of Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu. The term ‘Haridasa,’ meaning ‘servant of Hari,’ is another epithet for Krishna. From the 14th to the 19th century, numerous Haridasas wrote devotional compositions that could be accompanied by simple instruments like the Tanpura and Tala (cymbals). They crafted kirtans, bhajans, prayers, lullabies, festival songs, and household chores.
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