Madhya Pradesh High Court Stays BJP Govt’s Adi Shankaracharya Statue Project

The court has sought a response from the state government, in view of the damage to nature posed by this project.

Adi Shankaracharya.

(Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Sunday, 10 July stayed the construction work of the 108-feet high statue of Adi Shankaracharya, to be built on a 54-feet high platform in Omkareshwar in the state's Khandwa district, reported PTI.

The court was hearing a petition by Indore-based NGO ‘Lokhit Abhiyan Samiti,’ which opposed the cutting of trees and digging up of the mountain for the construction of the statue.

The NGO’s counsel said that the "cutting of number of trees and digging of the mountain for construction of the 'Statue of Oneness' would damage natural beauty of the area."

High Court Seeks Response From Government

The division bench headed by Chief Justice Ravi Malimath and Justice Vishal Mishra issued a notice to the Madhya Pradesh government and sought a response in view of the damage to nature and neglect of public faith for this project.

The court also sought a reply from the Khandwa district collector, DFO, revenue officer, and the State Archaeological Department.

Notably, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's Cabinet had approved the proposal to build the statue of the 8th century Indian philosopher, along with a museum and an International Advaita Vedanta Sansthan, in Omkareshwar at a cost of Rs 2,141 crore.

Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unveiled on 5 November the statue of Adi Shankaracharya at Kedarnath in Uttarakhand.

(With inputs from PTI.)