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Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at Idgah Maidan: SC to hear appeal on Tuesday
In an interim order on August 25, a single-judge bench of the Karnataka high court ordered that the ground in Bengaluru’s Chamarajpet should be used only to celebrate Muslim festivals and as a playground at other times
The Supreme Court will on Tuesday hear a petition by the Karnataka Waqf Board against the proposed Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at the Idgah Maidan in Bengaluru’s Chamarajpet after Chief Justice of India Uday Umesh Lalit on Monday acceded to an urgent request by senior counsel Kapil Sibal on behalf of the waqf board.
Sibal argued that “unnecessary religious tension was being created in the area”, and complained that a division bench of the Karnataka high court negated a single-judge order within a day, allowing religious and cultural activities at the controversial playground.
At this, the CJI directed that the appeal against the high court order will be listed on August 30, subject to the petitioner clearing all the defects in the plea.
In an interim order on August 25, a single-judge bench ordered that the ground should be used only to celebrate Muslim festivals and as a playground at other times. It also directed for status quo on the land.
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However, after the state government appealed to the division bench, the court on August 26 said that the government can allow religious and cultural activities on the two-acre land.
The Idgah Maidan is at the centre of a controversy over its ownership with both the waqf board and the city administrative body – the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) – claiming ownership, until it was declared to be the property of the revenue department earlier this month.
Hindu organisations have since been pushing for their festivals to be celebrated at the ground, recently seeking permission to hold the Ganesh Chaturthi festival there.
On Saturday, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai told news agency PTI that the state government will decide on implementing the court order after holding a meeting with the advocate general and the revenue minister.
“The division bench of the high court has given an order regarding Chamrajpet survey number 40 (Idgah Maidan) asking the government to take an appropriate decision, and has analysed how our country is multi-religious. Regarding implementing the court order in letter and spirit, tomorrow the advocate general, revenue minister and I will hold discussions,” Bommai told PTI.
The order was also celebrated by Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, with BJP national general secretary CT Ravi tweeting on August 26, “I welcome the judgement of Karnataka high court to leave it to the discretion of the state government to decide about the Idgah Maidan in Chamarajpet, Bengaluru. Cultural and religious activities must be allowed on this land as per the desire expressed by citizens & organisations.”
