N.T. Rama Rao’s birth centenary celebrations will have to start on 28th May without the unveiling of his statue resembling Lord Krishna in the middle of a Khammam lake as the permission given by the Telangana government has been suspended by the Telangana high court. The statue was proposed to be set up in the middle of the Lakkaram lake at Khammam in Telangana with the help of the Telugu Association of North America (TANA).
Justice K. Lakshman halted the installation of the statue after hearing pleas by Sri Adibhatla Sri Kala Peetham, All India Yadava Mahasabha and two others on the one hand and Krishna Chaitanya Tripurani, E. Prabhakar Yadav and Bharatha Yadava Samithi on the other opposing the idea of showing actor-politician NTR as Lord Krishna on the grounds that the statue hurts their religious sentiments because a human being was being shown as their favourite God.
While suspending the permission, the judge sought counter-replies from the state government and posted the case for June 6.