After a dramatic turn of events, civic authorities in Karnataka’s Hubballi district have granted permission for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at the controversial Idgah Maidan. The decision came following protests led by BJP leaders and Hindutva organizations, who demanded the right to celebrate the festival at the site.
The Dharwad-Hubballi City Corporation Commissioner, Ishwar Ullagaddi, handed over the permission letter late on Friday night, allowing the three-day festivities to take place.
The opposition BJP, along with Hindutva groups, including prominent saffron party MLAs Arvind Bellad and Mahesh Tenginakayi, had staged a protest against the City Corporation for initially withholding the permission letter, even after a High Court judgment had ruled in favor of the celebrations.
The protesters resorted to a road blockade to express their dissatisfaction with the delay in granting permission. In response, Police Commissioner Uma Sukumaran, along with additional police forces, swiftly intervened to clear the roadblock after pacifying the demonstrators.
Earlier on Friday, the Dharwad bench of the Karnataka High Court had quashed a petition opposing the installation of a Ganesh idol and the celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi at the Idgah Maidan premises. The petition had been submitted by the Anjuman-E-Islam organization, which was against the decision of the Hubballi-Dharwad City Corporation to permit the Ganesh festival on the contested site.
The approval for the celebrations was initially granted during a general body meeting held last month, but the civic body subsequently hesitated to issue the required permissions.
The Idgah Maidan dispute in Hubballi dates back to 1971 when the Anjuman-e-Islam attempted to construct a shopping complex at the site, allegedly violating a lease agreement from 1921. Over the years, this dispute evolved into a political issue.
In 1992, during the Congress-led government, an attempt was made to hoist the Tricolour on the premises. However, the ruling party halted the action, arguing that the flag could not be hoisted on “disputed” land due to fears of communal tension.
In 1994, BJP leader Uma Bharti announced her intention to hoist the Indian flag on the grounds on Independence Day. Fearing further communal tensions, the Congress government imposed a curfew, preventing her and others from entering the town. Tragically, six people lost their lives in police firing during the incident.
The recent decision to allow Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at Idgah Maidan has brought some resolution to this long-standing dispute, though it continues to be a sensitive issue that requires careful management.
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