Chamarajpet Idgah ground: Will abide by SC order, fight ownership issue legally: Citizens’ forum

Bengaluru: With the Supreme Court refusing to grant permission for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at Idgah ground here and ordering status quo, the Chamarajpet citizens’ forum, a group that wanted to organise the festival there on Tuesday said they will abide by the order, but will fight the ownership issue legally.

They said they will not install Ganesha idol anywhere else this time, as their goal was to do it at the ground, and shall wait for that day to come.

“After the Supreme Court order there is no question of installing Ganesh idol there (Idgah ground), the government will also not allow it. Everyone has to obey the Supreme Court order,” Ramegowda of Chamarajpet Nagarikara Okkoota Vedike said.

Speaking to reporters, he said, people had expected to celebrate the festival at the ground this time, but are now naturally “disappointed”.

“But, we will not stop, we will fight legally. The Supreme Court has not decided on the ownership of the land, it has asked to maintain the status quo. Even if the government don’t come forward to fight this case, we will appoint an advocate and fight the case to prove that Waqf board doesn’t have ownership of the land and will install Ganesha idol there some day,” he added.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to grant permission for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at Idgah Maidan and ordered status quo on land by both parties.

A three-judge bench headed by Justice Indira Banerjee asked the parties to approach the Karnataka High Court for the resolution of the dispute.

The top court was hearing an appeal filed by the Karnataka Waqf Board challenging the order of the High Court.

A division bench of the Karnataka High Court on August 26 permitted the state government to consider and pass appropriate orders on the applications received by the Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru (Urban) seeking the use of Idgah Maidan at Chamarajpet.

Karnataka State Board Of Auqaf Chairman Moulana Shafi Saadi in New Delhi said, the supreme court order is a welcome one, as it don’t allow attempts to disturb Hindu-Muslim unity, because of Chamrajpet Idgah ground issue.

“The Supreme Court has upheld the Places of Worship Act of 1991 and has ordered status quo….I want to tell Hindu brothers that Karnataka’s Muslims are not against Ganesha festival celebrations, Islam does not preach opposing other’s religious practices,” he said, maintaining that Idgah is a Waqf property where Muslims have performed Namaz for 200 years.

Police have made tight security arrangements in and around Idgah ground at Chamarajpet, ahead of the Supreme Court hearing the matter today and had even held a “route march”.

A Division Bench of the High Court of Karnataka on August 26 had modified an interim order of a single judge bench on the Chamrajpet Idgah playground dispute, saying religious and cultural activities can be allowed by the government there, but for a limited period from August 31.

Earlier, the court on August 25 had ordered that the two-acre land should be used only as a playground and Muslims should be allowed to pray there on only two festivals — Bakrid and Ramzan — till the case was disposed of.