The Karnataka High Court has refused to revise its previous order allowing the placing of Ganesha idols and holding cultural activities at Hubballi Idgah Maidan on Ganesh Chaturthi.
“It is clear from previous judgments that the property is owned by the government and the petitioner has taken the property on lease to be used only on two occasions. The government has the right over the said property,” the high court said in its late-night order, dismissing the plea to stop the festivities.
“Hindu parties submitted an application for placing a Ganesh idol and holding cultural activities on the said property. A committee was constituted which, after examining the materials on record, submitted a report to the government stating that the land can be handed over to a Hindu organisation for celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi,” the court observed.
Earlier in the day, the Karnataka High Court permitted the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) to consider the applications for holding religious and cultural activities on Ganesh Chaturthi at Hubballi Idgah Maidan, for a limited period and pass appropriate order in accordance with law.
The high court was hearing a writ petition filed by Anjuman-E-Islam, Hubballi. They had requested the high court to modify the order against the backdrop of the SC order.
READ | Karnataka High Court allows Ganesh Chaturthi festivities at Hubbali Idgah ground
BENGALURU IDGAH MAIDAN ROW
The Idgah Maidan has been in the news over a land dispute. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) said that the property belonged to the Revenue Department following the civic body’s chief commissioner’s directions to verify the ownership of the land.
Following this, several Hindu organisations sought permission to hold the Ganesh Chaturthi festival at the Idgah Maidan since it was a government property.
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However, the Karnataka Waqf Board challenged the August 7 order of the BBMP joint commissioner before the Karnataka High Court, who then ordered a status quo on the land.
On August 26, a division bench of the Karnataka High Court permitted the state government to consider and pass appropriate orders on the applications received by the Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru (Urban) seeking the use of Idgah Maidan at Chamarajpet.
However, the Supreme Court, hearing a plea by the Waqf Board, ordered a status quo on Tuesday which means no celebrations can be held at the maidan on Ganesh Chaturthi for the time being.
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