A new row has erupted over Hubbali’s Eidgah Maidan, months after Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations were held there. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen or AIMIM has now been granted permission to hold birth anniversary of Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan at the ground next month.
Asaduddin Owaisi’s party and a few other organisations had earlier approached the local civic body seeking permission to celebrate Tipu Jayanti at the Eidgah Maidan. On Wednesday, the The BJP-ruled Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation accepted the AIMIM’s request granting it permission to celebrate Tipu Jayanti despite objections from several Hindu organisations.
The decision to allow Tipu Jayanti celebrations was taken in a meeting which was attended by all stakeholders, and members and chairperson of the civic body’s standing committee.
Mayor Veeresh Anchatgeri earlier told ANI that religious activities can be held at the Eidgah Maidan, but “no big leaders will be allowed”.
Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra told ANI, “It is a matter which is related to Hubli-Dharwad Mahanagara Palike and the mayor, the Karnataka Chief Minister will look into it.”
Besides Tipu Jayanti, the civic body also gave nod for Veerarani Onake Obavva Jayanti and Bhakta Kanakadasa Jayanti celebrations at the ground, both falling on Friday, reports The Indian Express. This will be the first time that the controversial ground will be the venue for multiple events in succession.
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According to a statement by the civic body, events were allowed with certain restrictions. The organisers will have to wrap up the event between 10am and 12 noon with due permission from the police and assurance to maintain peace and harmony. The organisers have been allowed to display photos of Tipu Sultan, but barred from putting up any prospective controversial banner or image in the vicinity, reports The Indian Express.
As per a Supreme Court ruling, the ground is now the property of the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation and the Anjuman-e-Islam has been given the right to conduct prayers there twice a year. However, this year, permission was granted to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi at the Idgah Maidan.
The BJP had stopped the celebration of Tipu Jayanthi after it came to power in 2019.
The movement for hoisting the national flag at the Idgah Maidan gathered speed when the Anjuman-e-Islam (AeI), a local Muslim body, refused permission to hoist the Tricolour in 1992.
The then Congress government backed the AeI and maintained that the national flag could not be hoisted on disputed land. BJP leader Uma Bharti was arrested on her way to Idgah Maidan, following which thousands of people gathered and the protest turned violent. Four persons were killed in police firing and over a hundred injured.
The issue was resolved after the JD (S) came to power in the state under the leadership of H.D. Deve Gowda. The government convinced the Anjuman-e-Islam management to hoist the Tricolour at the controversial site in 1995.
(With inputs from IANS)
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