BENGALURU: The BBMP, which was verifying the documents pertaining to the contentious Chamrajpet Idgah maidan, has ruled that the land belongs to the Revenue Department. According to the documents shared by the BBMP with The New Sunday Express, the order signed by the joint commissioner (West) was issued on Saturday.
The ownership of property number 147 measuring 2.5 acres was challenged by Rakan-Ul-Mulk and Abdul Wajid in 1955. There was an injunction against the corporation to enter the land by the Munsif court. The municipality filed appeals at the Supreme Court and High Court, but the Wakf Board got the ruling in its favour. A gazette notification favouring the Khazi Idgah land to the Board was issued in 1965.
Since the Board did not claim the khata, which should have been done within three years of the court verdict, the ownership was subject to debate. After Hindu outfits recently demanded that the land be given out for hoisting the Tricolour and other events, the Wakf Board objected. The BBMP Commissioner then ordered the joint commissioner (West) to verify the ownership.
The BBMP sent notices and gave 42 days to the Board to submit all the records to prove ownership. Since it failed to claim the rights of the land at Survey No 40, the joint commissioner, under quasi-judicial powers, passed the order stating that under the BBMP Act 2020, Section 149, the Palike cancelled its earlier order asking the Board to apply for khata and termed it a Revenue Department property and asked the officials concerned from the Revenue Department to apply for khata.
Walf Board Chairman Shafi Saadi said, “Since it is a defeat for the BBMP, they are trying to bring in the Revenue Department. We have strong records and our legal team will now take up the fight against the Revenue Department.”
S Bashkaran, president, Vishwa Sanathana Parishad, said, “The BBMP delayed the announcement deliberately to avoid the platinum jubilee celebration of our Independence Day. To apply for permission with the Bengaluru Urban deputy commissioner and getting permission will take many weeks. We won’t wait for it. Vishwa Sanathana Parishad and Srirama Sene will march into the ground on August 15 along with thousands of our karyakartas.”