A day after the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) stated that the ownership of the Idgah Maidan in Chamarajpet is with Karnataka Revenue Department, various Hindu organizations on Sunday gathered near the maidan to celebrate the order.

Hindutva groups gathered near the ground and burst crackers, distributed sweets and announced that they will celebrate Independence Day on August 15 on the ground.

Authorities installing CCTV around the Idgah property.  

According to wakf board said the Eidgah was a gazette wakf property, while BBMP suddenly claimed that the land was a civic property.

The Eidgah land was gifted by the royal Wodeyar family of Mysuru to the Muslim community several decades ago to be used as a burial ground and as an Eidgah. After the burial ground was shifted to a different location, only two acres of the Eidgah land remained where Muslims gather twice a year to offer Eid prayers.

Image from one of the Eid prayers being offered at the same land

The Karnataka State Board of Auqaf contested that the 2 acre 5 guntas (92.565 square feet) of land of the ground was a registered waqf property and to substantiate their claim, the Central Muslim Association (CMA), which has been the caretaker of the Idgah maidan, also submitted a set of documents.

This included a 1964 Supreme Court order, which reportedly struck down a proposal to construct a building on the land, and a subsequent waqf gazette notification dated June 7, 1965, showing the land as a wakf property.

Despite this, Hindutva groups submitted a request for permission to celebrate the Independence Day on August 15 in the premises of Idgah, and Muslims raised objections and issue went to the notice of authorities… surprisingly BBMP declared the property belongs to them.

Public and Police gathered at the Idgah land

Bengaluru police beefed up security in and around Idgah, as pro-Hindutva organizations called for a bandh (a public lockdown) demanding that the ground be retained as a playground and not be acceded to the Waqf Board.
Several Hindutva groups like the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, Vishwa Sanatana Parishat, Sri Rama Sena, Bajrang Dal, Hindu Jagaran Samithi and Vishwa Hindu Parishad extended their support to the bandh called by Chamarajpet Nagareekara Okkoota Vedike, a federation of denizens.

Tension prevailed in the area surrounding the Idgah land, with all traders drawing down their shutters and also extending their support to the Hindutva groups by pasting posters in front of their shops.

Schools, colleges, and other educational institutions were closed for a day.

Karnataka became hotbed for anti-Islamic activities in south India, and Indian Muslims became first-line of defenders by default.

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Source:  The Hindu   |   The Quint

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