The Islamic group Anjuman-e-Islam has claimed that it will file a contempt case against the Hubballi-Dharwad municipal corporation commissioner in the Karnataka High Court for allowing Ganesh Chaturthi festivities at the Eidgah Maidan in the Hubbali district of Karnataka. This comes after the Karnataka High Court granted permission for Ganesh Chaturthi festivities at the site.
Vice-president of Anjuman-e-Islam Altaf Nawaz said that the Muslim group will take the Hubballi-Dharwad municipal corporation commissioner to court for contempt. “We will be moving the high court seeking directions to disallow religious activities of other communities at the Idgah ground. Our organisation has been given the Idgah ground for a lease period of 999 years by the Supreme Court,” he said.
“Any other community using the ground for religious purposes will be in contempt of the court. Although we are not against the celebrations of other religious communities, this three-day Ganesh Utsav at the Idgah ground has really disturbed us,” he further added.
The installation of Ganesh’s idol at Hubbali Eidgah Maidan took place on August 31 after the Karnataka High Court approved Ganesh Chaturthi festivities there.
Karnataka | Ganpati idol installed at Eidgah ground at Hubbali-Dharwad after Karnataka High Court upheld authorities’ decision to allow #GaneshChaturthi at Eidgah ground at Hubbali-Dharwad and rejected pleas challenging permission for allowing the rituals here. pic.twitter.com/ieafiRiIWg
— ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2022
In a petition, Anjuman-E-Islam argued against the Dharwad Municipality’s approval of the site’s use for Ganesh Puja. The Court, however, rejected the argument, stating that the municipality owned the land and that Muslims could not forbid others from using it since they were permitted to worship there twice a year.
The three-day Ganesh Utsav at the Eidgah Maidan in Karnataka’s Hubbali district concluded on Friday, with the Ganesh idol installed at the site submerged at Sadashiv Nagar’s immersion point. The concluding procession was organised by the Rani Chennamma Maidana Gajanana Utsav Mahamandali. The organisers held a Mahamangalarthi (ritual) before the procession and auctioned off the jewellery and clothing used to embellish the Ganesh idol. The deity was then immersed in an artificial pond at Sadashiv Nagar.
Sanjay Bhadaskar, Mahamandali head and Vishva Hindu Parishad leader, supervised the procession, as did BJP leader Mahesh Tenginkai and members of the VHP, Sri Rama Sene, RSS, Somavamsha Sahasrarjun Kshatriya Sama, Hindu Jagarana Vedike, and the Hindustan Janata Party.
