The Karnataka High Court on Thursday passed an interim order maintaining the status quo at the Chamarajpet Eidgah Maidan. The state government and the Karnataka State Board of Auqaf (Wakf Board) were ordered by Justice Hemant Chandangoudar to utilise the property only as a playground and for Ramadan and Bakrid prayer services.
The Wakf Board had moved the High Court challenging the order dated 6-08-2022 holding that the land belongs to the Revenue Department.
“The parties are directed to maintain a status quo in respect of the property and that said property shall be utilised only for the purpose of playground and Muslim community is permitted to use for prayers on Ramzan and Bakrid respectively and not for offering prayers on any other day,” Justice Hemant Chandangoudar said.
The two-acre Eidgah Maidan in Bengaluru’s Chamrajpet area has become the bone of contention after several Hindutva groups started demanding Hindu festivals to be celebrated on the ground that has served as a place for Muslims to offer namaz during their festivals for decades.
The Wakf board claims that the land belongs to the Central Muslim Association (CMA), and cites the 1964 Supreme Court ruling, which gives them the ownership.
In June this year, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) took back its claim on the land saying that it has no ownership of the property.
However, the civic body later declared that the Eidgah Maidan belonged to the Revenue Department, which the Wakf Board has challenged.
