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Hanuman on hold as Arkansas Capitol Commission waits for more monument submissions
Highlights
Arkansas State Capitol Arts and Grounds Commission seems to be still waiting for more submissions for monuments/memorials in Arkansas State Capitol premises in Little Rock.
​ Arkansas State Capitol Arts and Grounds Commission seems to be still waiting for more submissions for monuments/memorials in Arkansas State Capitol premises in Little Rock.
Responding to Hindu statesman Rajan Zed’s request regarding early Commission meeting to Secretary of State Mark Martin, who is Commission Chairman; Chief Deputy Secretary of State Kelly Boyd wrote: At this time, we are awaiting at least one additional submission. Once we are confident all submissions are in hand, a decision will be made regarding the timing for any future commission meetings.
Boyd, in this letter to Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, also added: Thank you for your continued patience as we work through the various submissions for monuments or memorials to be erected upon the grounds of or within the Arkansas State Capitol.
Rajan Zed has requested early Commission meeting to discuss various submissions received for erecting monuments, including theirs for permission to erect a privately funded statue of Lord Hanuman; and decide the future course of action; so that they and other submitters of requests could start working towards fundraising, designing, construction, etc., of the monuments.
Hindus have sent a formal request to Martin for “permission to erect a privately funded statue of Lord Hanuman in Arkansas State Capitol grounds in Little Rock”, to be constructed, designed and paid for by private funds at no expense to the state. “If permitted, we plan to make it big and weather-proof. Lord Hanuman is greatly revered and worshipped in Hinduism”, Zed added in the request.
Meanwhile, in a remarkable interfaith gesture, religious leaders of diverse traditions—Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Baha’i, etc.—have supported the request of Hindus to erect a statue of Hindu deity Hanuman in Arkansas Capitol grounds.
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson reportedly signed into law a bill on April eight, 2015; allowing a privately funded Ten Commandments monument on Arkansas Capitol grounds.
The Arkansas State Capitol, constructed between 1899 and 1915 on the site of the old state penitentiary using prison labor, already has multiple monuments on its grounds. Lonely Planet describes Arkansas as "America's overlooked treasure" and "nature lover's Shangri La"; and Walmart is headquartered here.
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