BJP MLA accuses Karnataka govt of deliberately delaying permission for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations

BJP MLA Aravind Bellad alleged the Karnataka government is “deliberately delaying permission” for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at the Idgah maidan in Hubballi.

Published on: Sep 14, 2023, 14:43:33 IST

ANIPosted by Yamini C S

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Aravind Bellad on Wednesday alleged that the Siddaramaiah-led state government in Karnataka is "deliberately delaying" permission for the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festival.

"Congress government in Karnataka is deliberately delaying permission for Ganesh festival celebration for Hindu organizations," the Hubli-Dharwad West MLA said.

Bellad said that though the Hubballi Dharwad Municipal Corporation has allowed the installation of Ganesh idol at the Idgah Maidan in Hubballi, the state government is "playing politics" and not permitting the celebrations.

READ | Karnataka: KSRTC announces special buses for Ganesh Chaturthi rush

"Hubli Dharwad Municipal Corporation general body has taken the decision to allow Ganesh idol installation in Idgah Maidan to Rani Chennamma Idgah Ganesh Utsav Samiti. But the state government is playing politics in this matter and not permitting the celebration of Ganesh festival for Ganesh Bhakts," the BJP MLA said.

Bellad also warned that even if permission is denied, the Ganesh idol will be installed at the Idgah Maidan.

Last year, the Karnataka High Court had allowed Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations to go ahead at the Idgah ground in Hubbali. The order rejecting the petition filed by Anjuman-E-Islam said, the ground is the property of the Hubli-Dharawad Municipal Commission and they can allot the land to whoever they desire so.

READ | Ganesh Chaturthi 2023: Know rituals, puja samagri, Ganesh aarti, citywise shubh muhurat, dos and don'ts, and more

This is the first time that the Hindu festival is being celebrated at the controversial ground. The Idgah ground in Hubballi has been caught up in a controversial dispute for decades until 2010, when the Supreme Court in its judgment held that, the ground is the exclusive property of Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation.

In 1921, the ground was leased to the Islamic organization, Anjuman-E-Islam for 999 years to hold prayers. Post-Independence, many shops were opened on the premises. This was challenged in court and a long litigation process started which halted in 2010 after the Supreme Court judgment. The top court had granted permission for prayers twice a year and not to build any permanent structure on the ground.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

Get the latest City News, local updates, weather alerts and breaking stories from Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and other major cities across India on Hindustan Times.