BANGALORE: The UK government has granted permission to install the statue of 12 century social reformer from Karnataka, Basaveshwara, at the Albert embankment in London .

Former mayor of the London Borough of Lambett and councillor Neeraj Patil in a statement on Tuesday said Britian’s secretary of state for culture media and sport has approved the planning permission to the statue.

To express the Indian community’s gratitude, a replica statue of Basaveshwara was presented to the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow. Patil said : “Installing the statue is about paying tribute to the pioneer of world’s largest democracy in front of the world’s oldest democracy.”

Bercow reciprocated the felicitation to him and said: “It’s amazing and extraordinary that Basaveshwara professed, espoused campaigned and advocated genuine democracy, human rights, gender equality way back in the 12th century even before anyone in United Kingdom had even thought about it.”

Earlier in March 2012, the London Borough of Lambeth had approved the planning application to erect the statue .

As per the planning regulations of United Kingdom and The Statue act of Britain 1854, an approval from the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sports is mandatory to erect the statue of Basaveshwara in the historic city of London.