Karnataka HC Permits Ganesha Festival Celebration At Hubli's Eidgah Maidan In Midnight Hearing

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday midnight ruled out the permission to celebrate the Ganesha festival at Hubli's Eidgah Maidan in a hearing of an urgent plea challenging the state government's order to allow the celebration at the same venue. The 10-day celebration began on August 31 and will end on September 9, with the immersion of Ganesha.

The Karnataka HC, while hearing the urgent plea on Hubli's Eidgah Maidan, said, "In this particular case, there is no title dispute, hence the petitioner is not entitled to SC interim order. Go ahead for Ganesh Chaturthi at Hubballi's Eidgah Maidan."

In the first hearing, the Karnataka High Court dismissed the appeal, questioning whether the property belonged to the Waqf Board. The court said that in Hubli's Eidgah Maidan case, there is no title dispute as it belongs to the possession of Hubli-Dharawad Municipal Corporation, and the Waqf Board was given the right to hold namaz for only two days- Ramadan and Eid al-Adha.

The Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) has decided to allow the installation of the Ganpati idol for three days. The HDMC Mayor announced the same after meeting officials and elected representatives of the particular constituency.

Petition In SC Regarding Hubli's Eidgah Maidan

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court was hearing the Eidgah Maidan matter of Bengaluru for the Ganesha festival celebration and ordered both sides to maintain the status quo. A three-judge bench consisting of Justices Abhay S Oka, Indira Banerjee, and M M Sundresh was hearing the plea by the Karnataka Waqf Board challenging the High Court's order which permitted the usage of Bengaluru's Eidgah Maidan for Ganesha Festival.

The Additional Advocate General Dhyan Chnnappa, appearing for the state government in Hubli's Eidgah Maidan dispute, said, "Hubli's Eidgah Maidan case is different from that of Bengaluru's Eidgah Maidan. According to officials, the Karnataka Waqf Board filed a petition in the supreme court challenging Karnataka government's order for celebrations in Bengaluru's Eidgah Maidan."

The Supreme Court, while asking both the parties to maintain the status quo, said that no religious activities are allowed in Bengaluru's Eidgah Maidan as of now. The court added that the Ganesha festival celebration could be held elsewhere as the Interim status quo will remain for two days.The matter of religious celebration also invited comments from right-wing political leaders.

Would any minority group in any country the world dare to challenge the right of the 85% majority to hold their religious functions?
As has been happening with holding Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Hubli,Karnataka!
The only cure is #HINDURASHTRA

— Tathagata Roy (@tathagata2) August 30, 2022

Meanwhile, the Bengaluru Police Commissioner Pratap Reddy said that strict surveillance and security had been deployed in Bengaluru's Eidgah Maidan to maintain the status quo order in the area given by the apex court.

Just ahead of Supreme court order on whether Ganesh Utsav can be celebrated at Eidgah Maidan, Heavy police deployment can be seen here at Chamarajapet, Bengaluru. @ABPNews pic.twitter.com/DsIJYbsJne

— Pinky Rajpurohit (ABP News) 🇮🇳 (@Madrassan_Pinky) August 30, 2022

Earlier to the matter went to Supreme Court, the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Basavaraj Bommai, said, "It has been decided that the property comes under Revenue Department, so it is under the government, so any programmes or events can be permitted as per the government's rules and procedures. We will decide as per law."

Ownership Of Bengaluru's Eidgah Maidan In Question

Earlier, the Karnataka High Court ruled that the state government has the power to permit the celebration of the Ganesha festival at Bengaluru's Eidgah ground.

Following this, the State Waqf Board moved to Supreme Court, arguing that no other festivals took place on the ground for 200 years. The apex court ordered for status quo at the 2.5-acre ground.

When the SC asked the lawyer representing the state government if there were any similar instances of events taking place on the ground in the past, the lawyer said that it couldn't be the basis for opposing the Ganesha festival celebration.

The Waqf Board mentioned that the assembly election is due next year-hinting at the motive of the government behind pressurising for the celebration of the Ganesha festival at Bengaluru's Eidgah Maidan. But a larger question remains: Who owns Bengaluru's Eidgah ground, the state government or the Waqf Board? According to officials, the High Court of Karnataka will decide the same in the coming days.

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