Karnataka High Court Asks Litigant Seeking Reconstruction Of Parashuram Statue To Deposit ₹5 Lakh With Registry

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday directed a litigant, seeking re-construction of the 33 feet statue of Parashurama inside a theme park in Udupi district, which had to be brought down after a few months of erection, to deposit Rs 5 lakh with the high court registry within two weeks.

A division bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C M Joshi orally said,

“Your sentiments are hurt that the statue is not there, you want the statue to be built no, you pay for it at least make some contribution.”

The counsel for the petitioner agreed to deposit the amount. The bench said the amount is to be deposited from the personal account of the petitioner.

The petitioner Uday Shetty Muniyal has moved the court seeking a direction to the state government to consider his representation to reconstruct and reinstall the Lord Parashurama Statue at Parashurama Theme Park, Karkala, by issuing fresh tenders and engaging a reputed sculptor.

Muniyal in his petition claims that he is an active member of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee and also stood for Assembly elections held in 2023. He submitted that the petition is aimed to protect the religious sentiments and cultural heritage of lakhs of Hindus in the coastal Karnataka region, "for whom Lord Parashurama holds great reverence" as the creator of the Parashurama Kshetra (Tulu Nadu & Karavali regions) according to Hindu belief.

It is said that the Parashurama Theme Park at Karkala was conceptualized and inaugurated with a 33-feet bronze statue of Lord Parashurama on January 27, 2023, funded by the respondent-government departments which is public money.

However, in a serious fraud, the statue was constructed using brass instead of bronze, endangering public safety and violating public trust. The upper portion of the statue was dismantled on October 12, 2023 and stored elsewhere, leaving the theme park incomplete and devotees deeply hurt, he said.

Subsequently a CID investigation was ordered by the State, and also a complaint was filed against Sculptor Krishna Naik by alleging the statue was constructed using brass instead of bronze.

The plea claims that there is a clear case of violation of Articles 25 and 26 Freedom of Religion and Protection of Religious Institutions, the respondents have blatantly ignored the importance of freedom of religion and the emphasis on its practice.

The installation, maintenance, and worship of the Parashurama statue in Karkala is an essential religious practice for devotees of the Parashurama Kshetra. Its neglect or improper reconstruction constitutes a direct infringement of their right to freely practice religion, the plea states.

Case Title: Uday Shetty Muniyal AND State of Karnataka & Others

Case No: WP 22881/2025

Appearance: Advocate Srikanth V K for Petitioner

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