After HC verdict, Ganesh idol installed at Hubballi Idgah Maidan
The Hindu
A large number of people including scores of BJP leaders took part in the ‘Maha Mangalarati’ in Hubballi
After Karnataka High Court allowed the installation of Ganesh idol at Idgah Maidan in Hubballi, members of the Rani Chennamma Maidan Gajanan Utsav Mahamandal installed the idol of Lord Ganesh for the first time at the space on Wednesday and large number of people including scores of BJP leaders took part in the ‘Maha Mangalarati’ later in the evening.
As a precautionary measure, a huge posse of police personnel and contingents of Rapid Action Force was deployed at the Idgah Maidan. Half the Idgah Maidan has been barricaded preventing entry of people towards the qibla wall. Barricades have also been placed around the qibla wall and police personnel are keeping vigil over it.
On Wednesday night, bhajans were sung after ‘maha mangalarati’ to Lord Ganesh’s idol led by Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, Ministers Halappa Achar and Shankar Patil Munenakoppa, MLA Arvind Bellad and others. Large number of people including women took part in the singing of bhajans and ‘maha mangalarati’.
Addressing the gathering Mr. Joshi recalled the agitation for hoisting the national flag at Idgah Maidan held three decades ago, and the subsequent violence-related developments, which ultimately resulted in the Supreme Court declaring that the Idgah Maidan was the property of the municipal corporation.
Earlier speaking to the media, he said that Congress was behind the move of approaching Supreme Court by Anjuman-E-Islam. Although it had already been declared as property of the municipal corporation, some political parties were trying to mislead the people, he said adding that Congress had already bitten the dust in several States for being anti-Hindu and the same would happen in Karnataka too.
Mr. Shettar said that the demand for the installation of Ganesh idol was being made for the past few years and the municipal corporation has permitted and the High Court too has give green signal this time.
Earlier in the day, the municipal corporation staff removed the flex boards banners of V.D. Savarkar, Shivaji, and Bhagat Singh that were installed at the entrance of the Ganesh pandal at Idgah Maidan as the court has restricted the display of banners, flex boards, and advertisements at Idgah Maidan. However, the banner behind the Ganesh idol prominently displays the portraits of Bal Gangadhar Tilak and V.D. Savarkar and it has been allowed.