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In the midnight hearing, Ganesh festival allowed at Idgah ground in Karnataka

August 31, 2022
Sezarr

Bangalore:
The Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at the Idgah ground in Karnataka may go ahead as planned, the High Court has said, turning down a petition filed by the Supreme Court following a freeze order in the Bengaluru Idgah ground case.

Here are the top 10 points of this big story:

  1. In a midnight hearing, the High Court said that the “serious dispute” over ownership in the Bengaluru Idgah land case does not exist in the Hubballi case. Therefore the Supreme Court order does not apply, Justice Ashok S Kinagi said.

  2. The judge said, “It (Hubli ground) is the property of the corporation and the corporation can do whatever it deems fit. They have two days to offer prayers, Ramzan and Bakrid, surely it cannot be interfered with.” “

  3. The decision to organize Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at Idgah ground in Hubli was taken by the local body on Tuesday.

  4. The petition was filed in the High Court by Anjuman-e-Islam after the Supreme Court ordered status quo on the proposed ceremony at the Idgah land in Bengaluru, more than 400 km away.

  5. The government order allowing Ganesh Chaturthi rituals at the Idgah ground in Bengaluru was challenged by the Waqf Board in the Supreme Court.

  6. While ordering status quo, a bench of Justices Indira Banerjee, AS Oka and MM Sundaresh said that Ganesh Puja can be held elsewhere.

  7. The High Court will decide on the ownership of 2.5 acres of land, the bench also said.

  8. During a lengthy argument in the apex court, the Waqf Board argued that no religious ceremony of any other community took place on the land as it has been declared as Waqf property. “Suddenly in 2022, they say this is disputed land, and they want to organize Ganesh Chaturthi festival here,” it said.

  9. When the court asked state counsel Mukul Rohatgi whether there was any prior instance of such events at Idgah ground, he said, “This cannot be a ground to oppose an event now.”

  10. Dushyant Dave, representing the Waqf Board, said, “I wonder if there is any temple in this country where the minority community will be allowed to enter for prayers.” The board also referred to the Babri Masjid case in Ayodhya and said, “Then UP Chief Minister had also given an assurance, in the Babri Masjid case… you know what happened there.”