Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar on Thursday questioned as to why government funds were used to install a 108-feet statue of Bengaluru founder Nadaprabhu Kempegowda at the international airport here. The statue is to be unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 11. Shivakumar said the Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), which runs the Kempegowda International Airport, should have taken up and completed the work on the statue.

“Doing it (installing the statue) using government funds is a big crime. We (Karnataka govt) have given the land and also funds for the Bengaluru International Airport Limited. Out of 4,200-acre land, 2,000 acre was given at only R6-lakh per acre. Along with money, they have shares. It (BIAL) should have used its money, why use government money,” Shivakumar said.