BENGALURU: With Bakrid prayers to be offered at the contentious Chamarajpet Idgah Maidan, MLA BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan and other community leaders held a peace meeting to assuage the volatile situation over land ownership.Stressing that the Maidan is in existence from 1871, and later in 1965 the land was gazetted to the Wakf Board, he said that the place belongs to all.
Former corporation member Chandrashekar said that the MLA has assured the place will always remain a playground. Another former corporation member BT Srinivas Murthy said that since Zameer took over as MLA, there has been no Hindu-Muslim riots.Speaking at the meeting, Khan said ,”Everyone is speaking about saving the playground, I want to ask one thing: has the Palike, MLA, Wakf Board said about anything about it? I want to assure that till I die I will ensure this place to remain a playground and we ourselves hoist the Tricolour on Independence and Republic Days.”
He pointed out that there is politics being stirred into the issue keeping the 2023 election in mind. “With regard to 2006 peace proceeding and permission for Ganesha and other events, the CM at that time did not give permission,” Zameer said. With regard to Chamarajpete Bandh call given by loacals on July 12, he claimed he is not aware. Meanwhile BBMP has stated that it requires time to decide on the ownership as the documents are being verified by legal department
Bike rally
Taking a dig at the MLA, former deputy Mayor and member of Chamarajpete Okkoota Samiti Rame Gowda said, “The MLA cannot hoodwink us. We strongly believe that the land belongs to Palike, and a public place. About 200 bikes would take out a rally. We have already distributed pamphlets in the area and the bandh would be peaceful.”
FESTIVAL RUSH SLOWS DOWN TRAFFIC
BENGALURU: With two days to go for Bakrid, roads in RT Nagar, Jayamahal and near Chamarajpete Idgah Maidan saw huge traffic with goat and sheep traders camping with thousands of animals for sale. Traffic was crawling as customer gathered to purchase. People travelling on this stretch said that because the road was being upgraded and pipe work under progress on Jayamahal Road, the traders coming from Tumakuru, Kolar, Mandya, Nelamanala, Chikkaballapura, Chitradurga and other places have camped on the edge of the road, stifling traffic. “Jayamahal Road is known for various businesses as per season and since road asphalting work is taken up, the stretch at Doordarshan office witnesses slow traffic. We have deployed additional personnel to manage traffic,” said a traffic police officer from RT Nagar sub-division. At Chamrajpete Idgah Maidan surrounding, people are parking the vehicles on the roadside.