HUBBALLI: The turmoil at Idgah Maidan in Hubballi is not likely to end with this Ganesha festival. Hindu outfits now want permission for Holi Kamanna installation for the Holi festival, at the same site.
This comes after Ganesha festival celebrations at the Idgah Maidan in Hubballi were permitted by the Karnataka High Court at the last moment. The Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation accordingly permitted the Ganesha Mandali to install the statue, but with multiple conditions.
Knowing the consequences, local authorities tried to deny permission for Ganesha installation, on the grounds that the matter is sensitive. Top police officials visited the historical ground, which has been used for Eid prayers by Muslims twice a year and increased security around it.
“Organisers of the Ganesha festival and members of other organisations have sought permission from HDMC that they should be allowed to instal Kamanna and Rati statues during the Holi festival. It’s a practice in North Karnataka to instal the statues during the Holi festival,” informed an official from HDMC.
“Last week, members of the Christian community had also sought permission to organise religious community programmes at Idgah Maidan. The matter will be taken up during the next meeting,” the official said.
Now, going a step ahead, right-wing organisations in Hubballi are demanding a change in the name of
Idgah Maidan to Rani Chennamma Maidan. “The statue is iconic and at the central point of Hubballi city and has featured in many famous Kannada numbers. We are demanding that the authorities name the grounds after Rani Chennamma of Kittur,” said a member of a right-wing organisation from Hubballi.
“The ground is famously known as Idgah Maidan for many years. The statue of Chennamma was installed in 1980. Even if someone changes the name, it will still be called Idgah Maidan. It’s nothing but votes bank politics,” said a social activist who had opposed the installation of Ganesha at Idgah Maidan in Hubballi.
ZAMEER AHMED’S SON’S FILM FACES BOYCOTT CALL
Bengaluru: Hindu outfits have launched an online campaign to boycott the debut Kannada film of MLA BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan’s son Zyed Ahmed Khan which is set to release in November.
Members of the outfits held Zameer responsible for the Ganesha festival not being celebrated at the Chamarajpet Idgah Maidan. The outfits, including Vishwa Sanathana Parishad, Hindu Janajagruthi Samithi and Srirama Sene, have given the call to boycott the film Banaras.
When the Supreme Court ordered a stay on the Ganesha festival at the contentious ground, Zameer felicitated senior advocate Kabil Sibal, they alleged.
“He does not deserve our respect and our votes. His own set of sycophants and social media campaigners have engaged in spreading fake news to project him as a leader of the masses. Over the last 15 years, he promoted only anti-social elements in society, and should be defeated in the next Assembly elections,” said S Bhaskaran, president of Vishwa Sanathan Parishad.