Controversy hits fundraising for elephant Arjun’s memorial

Mysuru: The construction of a memorial for the late Dasara elephant Arjun has sparked significant discussion in Hassan. Despite five months since Arjun’s death, the Karnataka government has yet to commence the construction of the memorial. In the meantime, accusations have emerged against an individual allegedly capitalising on this delay to collect money illegally.

Naveen H.N from Mysore district has reportedly created a WhatsApp group called “Arjuna Pade,” soliciting support for the Arjun memorial initiative. Many people believed in this cause and contributed money. However, the president of the Malenadu Rakshana Vedike has accused Naveen of amassing substantial sums into his personal account through this appeal. A formal complaint has been lodged against him for collecting funds improperly.

In a bid to further the construction efforts, Naveen also approached actor Darshan’s personal assistant, claiming to seek help for the memorial.

He allegedly obtained a stone for the memorial from them and later sold it to the forest department for 30,000 rupees.

The incident has led to public outrage, with many questioning the legitimacy of Naveen’s fundraising efforts. Concerns have been raised over who authorized him to collect money from the public, and calls for appropriate action against him have intensified.

Photos showing hundreds of people depositing money into his account have gone viral, fueling the controversy. People are demanding answers and action, emphasizing that no one should deposit money into personal accounts for such causes without proper authorization and transparency.