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Security in place for flag hoisting at Idgah Maidan in Bengaluru: Police
Senior officials, including Sandeep Patil, additional commissioner of police (West), and Laxman B Nimbargi, deputy commissioner of police (West), took part in a police march at the ground ahead of the celebrations. “We have deployed a KSRP battalion, a police inspector and 10 police constables. They will work round the clock till Independence Day,” Patil said.
After the Karnataka government directed the assistant commissioner of Bengaluru North to hoist the national flag and celebrate Independence Day at Idgah Maidan in Chamarajpe, the city police commissioner said all security arrangements have been made on the ground and if the situation demands, an additional forces will be deployed.
Senior officials, including Sandeep Patil, additional commissioner of police (West), and Laxman B Nimbargi, deputy commissioner of police (West), took part in a police march at the ground ahead of the celebrations. “We have deployed a KSRP battalion, a police inspector and 10 police constables. They will work round the clock till Independence Day,” Patil said. “We have also booked a few preventive cases against those suspected of indulging in activities that could shatter peace in the area,” he added.
Talking to reporters on Saturday, revenue minister R Ashok said the Indian flag will be hoisted at Idagh Maidan on Independence day and Republic Day. Instead of Idagh Maidan, which is the popular name of the ground, the minister called it Guddadahalli playground. “We have passed the order that flag hoisting should take place every year. For those asking why the flag hoisting is happening now, I want to say that I am the revenue minister now and the ground has come under our department now. So, we have decided to hoist the flag there,” he said.
The announcement comes after the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has issued an order claiming that the Idgah maidan belongs to the state revenue department.
“The land, which is referred to by different names by people, actually belongs to the revenue department. The revenue records show that it does not belong to the BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) or any ‘Board,” Ashoka said.
A section of people was claiming that the land belongs to the Wakf Board while some others said it is land belonging to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Amid controversy, the BBMP referred the matter to the Revenue Department. The department went through its records and found that the land belongs to it, Ashoka said.
“This survey number 40 in Guddadahalli. This is revenue department property. Anyone who has any objection can approach the court or us (the department) with relevant documents.
The minister added the provision will be made to accommodate 300 people on the ground for the function. “During the function, people will be allowed to raise slogans, but we have said that it should not be religious slogans,” he added.
When asked if permission will be given to celebrate the Ganesha festival at the ground which was earlier used exclusively for Muslim functions, he said that a decision hasn’t been taken on the matter. “As of now, we are only talking about independence day function. A decision on every other function will be taken later,” he said.
The decision comes as right-wing groups have demanded to celebrate the Ganesha festival at an Idagh ground in Bengaluru’s Chamarajpet, a day after giving a call for demolishing a wall of the Idagh ground. “All structure will remain. We have a government office, a public toilet, banyan trees etc on the ground they will remain. Even the wall inside the ground will remain,” he added.
